JP4020384B2 - Manufacturing and installing fiber cement paneling - Google Patents

Abstract

In one embodiment, a reinforced fiber cement article comprising a fiber cement piece and a reinforcing fixture bonded to a portion of the fiber cement piece for improving the performance, strength and durability of the fiber cement piece. The reinforcing fiber cement article could be used as or in conjunction with a siding plank assembly, which further comprises an interlocking feature that allows the siding plank to be stacked with other siding planks in a manner such that a uniform and deep shadow line is created. The interlocking feature sets the gauge of the exposed plank face and allows for leveling of the plank during installation. The reinforcing fixture could also serve as a thick butt piece or a plastic spline that produces a deep shadow line. A cementitious adhesive is used to bond the reinforcing fixture to the fiber cement piece.

Description

Priority Applications This application is a whole filed April 3, 2001 which is incorporated herein by reference, claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/281195.

  In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a siding that attaches to the side of a wall, thereby staking directly to the fiber cement siding and the mesh between the sidings. In particular, the invention relates in one embodiment to a siding board formed by bonding two materials.

  The market for fiber cement siding for the new residential building and renovation markets in the United States is currently strong, mainly due to good economic conditions and high durability of fiber cement.

  The siding material is conventionally a solid material or a thin elastic material. Vinyl and aluminum are two common examples of thin elastic siding material. Vinyl siding is a thin, elastic material that is extruded into a desired shape in a plastic state after extrusion of a composite melt. Vinyl siding typically has a thickness of about 0.040 inches to about 0.080 inches. However, vinyl is problematic as a plank material because it has a high coefficient of thermal expansion and is undesirable for products exposed to a wide range of temperatures. Aluminum siding is another example of a thin shaped product, typically about 0.010 inches (0.25 mm) to about 0.030 inches (0.76 mm) thick. The vinyl form and aluminum form often have the same installation shape as a conventional solid wood panel, but often include a meshing mechanism that facilitates installation. The meshing form usually involves an upward movement against gravity.

  A siding material in the form of a horizontal plank or lap is visually pleasing to have a strong “shadow line” or perceived thickness so that individual planks can be distinguished from a distance . This is evident from the design trend of thin vinyl or aluminum siding that can be molded or extruded to give the appearance of thick individual wood planks.

  There are several different solid siding materials used in the building or refurbishing industry. Wood paneling, hardboard, fiber cement paneling are examples of commonly used solid paneling materials. Wood tends to lack durability, is susceptible to attack by buming and temite, does not have sufficient durability in wet environments, for example, it will rot if exposed to water for a long time . The siding shape of the solid material is usually formed from the starting rectangular shape by sawing, machining or rounding. The thick shadow line or thick bottom edge of the solid siding is usually obtained by starting the process from a solid rectangular shape having at least the thickness of the finished bottom edge of the siding. The solid siding is then machined or cut to the desired structure.

  Panels and planks made of wood, wood composites, and fiber-reinforced cementitious materials are inherently stiff and thick, but the fiber cement thickness due to the material cost, weight, and handling characteristics of long siding It is impractical to increase the thickness further. Rather, an assembly that requires less material to be used while maintaining a perceived thickness at installation would be advantageous. Therefore, there is a need for a more efficient structure of siding with a thick bottom edge that forms a conventional deep shadow line while using the material more efficiently.

  Further, there is a need for a method of forming a vertically installed stackable siding that has a nail hidden under the siding wrap to protect the bottom edge from lateral forces and improve its appearance. . Further, there is a need for the above stackable siding that has the external durability of fiber cement that is more easily machined than conventional medium density fiber cement. In addition, there is a need for a siding that is easily installed and maintains a constant gauge gauge plate along the length of the siding and between the sidings, preferably preventing wind and rain from penetrating the siding. It is.

  The ease of handling the siding is a combination of the weight, stiffness and elasticity of the plank. The siding panel needs to support itself when balanced and laid flat on a fulcrum, but the thin fiber cement siding panel manufactured by conventional methods is fragile and may break during manual transportation . This thin fiber cement siding may be transported by handling the edges of the planks, but will slow down the installation process. Therefore, there is a need for a method that improves the handleability of thin fiber cement siding.

  Fiber cement is useful in residential and commercial building applications due to its insusceptibility to water and organisms, low density, and good dimensional stability. However, the tensile strength of fiber cement is small compared to other building materials such as steel, aluminum, wood and some engineering plastics. The range of applications for fiber cement products can be greatly expanded if fiber cement products can be reinforced in key areas where higher tensile or impact strength is required for a particular application. There is a need for a method of locally reinforcing fiber cement products.

  Other desirable attributes of the siding include not only preventing an increase in moisture between the two surfaces in the plank overlap region, but also high flexibility when installing variable gauge heights. Thus, new siding structures and functions are required to produce higher value building products for the siding market.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, a deep shadow comprising a main plank part and a second member bonded to the main plank part, the second member being bonded along a portion of the main plank part A siding plate forming a line is provided. The main plank portion is preferably made of fiber cement, but the second member is preferably fiber cement or plastic.

  Other embodiments that can be used with the foregoing embodiments are briefly described below.

  In one aspect, a plurality of siding planks are formed to form a uniform and deep shadow line and to protect the planks from lateral forces by blind nailing instead of face nailing, A fiber cement (FC) siding board having an interlocking mechanism is provided. The meshing mechanism is also preferably exposed during installation to help set a horizontal gauge on the plank surface and to allow the plank to be flattened.

  In one embodiment, the FC siding engagement mechanism includes matching lock notches and key notches on both ends of the plank. The lock and key use gravity to fit the two fiber cement sidings together snugly and evenly so that they maintain a constant gauge and overlap to form a uniform shadow line. It is preferable to help. The planks are protected from lateral forces by hiding the nail beneath the adjacent plank wrap. The FC siding is preferably low density and can be easily machined.

  In addition, the siding may include a built-in fixed indicator that allows the installer to quickly determine the appropriate area for attaching the nail. The fixed indicator is preferably formed on the FC siding plate using an extrusion process so that the fixed indicator is formed cost-effectively with the FC siding plate. The fixation indicator ensures that the fixation device is properly positioned within the predetermined nailing area. The predetermined nailing area on the siding plate is preferably an overlapping area with adjacent planks so that nails or other fasteners can be hidden. In addition, a fixed void or indentation is formed below the fixed indicator so as to reduce stress that would destroy the product or cause the product to crack when the product is nailed or fixed to the wall frame. You can also.

  In another embodiment, the FC siding engagement mechanism has an oversized “V” shaped lock and key tip. This lock may be individually attached to the FC plank or may be integrally formed as part of the plank. The siding is preferably engaged with the adjacent plank by locking an oversized “V” shaped lock on the key tip on the upper edge of the adjacent plank. This lock superimposes the thick plates so as to maintain a constant gauge and form a uniform thick shadow line. The extra-large “V” shaped locking structure allows the flatness of the framed walls to be non-uniform, maintaining a constant gauge thick plate train along the length of the siding and between the siding plates. The The plank is protected from lateral forces by hiding a nail under the plank wrap. The lock preferably also has a compressible region that allows the planks to easily engage each other during installation and compensates for the non-planar mounting surface in the lateral direction. The compressible material can also act as a seal against wind and rain.

  In another embodiment, the siding engagement mechanism has a square locking system. The rectangular locking system preferably has a rectangular lock, a butt member, and an overlay guide. It will be appreciated that the square locking system and the other systems described herein can be applied to a variety of siding plates, including but not limited to FC planks. The square lock is configured to fit on the upper edge of the adjacent plank so that a small gap to accommodate the variable gauge height can be maintained between the lock and the upper edge of the adjacent plank. Is preferred. The square lock helps to flatten each plank during installation and allows slight variation of the siding plate installation gauge while reducing and suppressing lateral movement of each plank. The square lock may be individually coupled to the siding or formed as an integral part of the FC siding. The square lock preferably has one or more slots that improve the coupling between the lock and the siding. The rectangular lock structure preferably prevents wind and rain from penetrating the plane of the siding.

  Furthermore, the siding of one preferred embodiment may include a device that reduces the capillary action between adjacent slabs adjacent to each other. The device preferably has a capillary break formed by adding to or indenting the material of the mating device of the siding board assembly. Capillary breaks are placed between adjacent siding plates to stop the water rise in the plank overlap area and thus enhance the external barrier to moisture and the inner protection of the siding without leaving any gaps for insects to enter It is preferred that

  In another aspect, a lightweight two-piece FC siding plank is provided that forms a uniform and thick shadow line when stacked with other planks. The two-piece FC siding board generally has a main plank part and an FC butt member coupled to the main plank part and partially extending on the back surface of the main plank part. The butt end member reinforces the main plank portion and increases the overall rigidity of the plank. The butt member thickness also helps to form deeper shadow lines on adjacent planks. The butt members are preferably individually coupled to the main plank so that an improved shadow line is formed without having to machine a single rectangular FC material to form an equivalent structure. .

  The adhesive used to join the two members may be a polymeric adhesive, a cementitious adhesive, an organic adhesive or an inorganic adhesive, A combination of these adhesives may be used. The adhesive may have fibers added to increase the toughness of the adhesive connection. In one embodiment, the main plank portion is bonded to the butt member using a fast cure reaction molten polyurethane adhesive. Polymerized adhesives perform very fast bonding, thereby allowing the adhesive to follow the bonding process within a single production line without having to wait for the adhesive to harden and then machine in a separate process. It is preferable to be able to carry out a machining process.

  In other embodiments, the main plank is compatible with the fiber cement material and is therefore bonded to the FC main plank during the green state and co-cured with the FC material to form a durable bond. It is bonded to the butt member using a cementitious adhesive that can be used. A pressure roller system or hand roller is preferably used to couple the main siding plate to the butt member. A hydraulic press can be used to join the two members when the siding or butt member has an uneven surface. Furthermore, in other embodiments, the two-piece FC siding may be formed by extrusion forming a single FC plank member having an integrally formed butt member. Further, the main plank portion and the butting member may have a hollow center portion to further reduce the weight of the siding plate.

  In another embodiment, the two-piece FC siding panel fits the two FC siding panels together closely and without the need for visible nails or other fasteners to secure the overlap area of the two planks. It includes a meshing mechanism that fits together. The engagement mechanism preferably has a key formed on the main plank and a lock formed on the butting member. The key is inserted into the lock, and with the help of gravity, the adjacent plates are engaged with each other. The lock and key set a gauge on the plank surface that is exposed without requiring frequent measurements.

  In another aspect, an adhesive composition is provided that is used to bond cementitious materials such as fiber cement siding. The adhesive composition includes cement, silica, a thickener, and water, and preferably includes organic or inorganic fibers. The adhesive composition can be used to bond flat sheets, planks, or ground cementitious bonded building products. This adhesive can also be used to bond cementitious materials of different densities to form a composite panel. In one embodiment, the adhesive is used to bond two fiber cement siding panels. The adhesive is preferably applied to the raw (green) fiber cement siding so that the FC and FC adhesive cure together. It is preferred that the adhesive does not degrade under autoclaving conditions and therefore can be used to bond FC planks prior to autoclaving.

  In another aspect, a siding plate having splines that improve the manageability, strength, and rigidity of the siding plate and form a uniform and thick shadow line is provided. The spline may be a shaped member of one or more materials and is preferably made of a lightweight material such as plastic, foam plastic, metal, fiber reinforced plastic. The splines are preferably attached to the siding body to add function and / or visual appearance to the plank. The spline preferably improves the handleability and toughness of the siding. The spline can reduce the thickness of the medium density FC plank without sacrificing ease of handling. For example, FC planks with a thickness of about 1/4 inch (about 6.35 mm) to 3/16 inch (about 5.77 mm) are still easy to handle, and the length is 16 feet when the spline is attached to the plank. Even if it is (about 4.88m), it will not be destroyed. This provides a longer and lighter FC siding that is easier to handle and requires less material to manufacture.

  In one embodiment, the spline has a butt member and a lock and is configured to be used in combination with an FC plank. The butting member is preferably thick enough to form a deep shadow line when the thick plates are stacked. The lock is preferably a tilted lock configured to help secure the planks to adjacent planks in the stack. The spline is preferably bonded to the FC plank by an adhesive, and the spline preferably has one or more slots in the adhesive surface area that reinforce the bond between the spline and the plank. In another embodiment, the spline has an overlay guide that helps to set the gauge of the exposed plank surface. However, it will be appreciated that the spline need not include a lock, an overlay guide, or a groove.

  It will be appreciated that the preferred embodiments of the present invention are not limited to siding plates or meshing mechanisms for attaching adjacent planks. Thus, in one embodiment, a fiber cement product is provided, which may or may not be a siding, with a reinforcing fixture bonded thereto. Reinforcing fixtures locally reinforce areas of the product that need to be improved in strength and / or support.

  These and other objects and advantages will become more fully apparent when the following description is considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

  One preferred embodiment of the present invention generally relates to a lightweight siding assembly that is configured to protect the siding from lateral forces and form a uniform deep shadow line without face staking. In some of these embodiments, the shape of the plank is to add a second material to the base plank to add function and / or appearance, such as a thick bottom edge and / or a mating part. Obtained by. These and other features of the preferred embodiment are described in detail below.

  Unlike other siding materials, fiber cement (“FC”) materials have favorable properties regarding non-flammability, strength, and durability. Low density FC has other advantages over higher density FCs because this material can be machined more easily and is easy to handle and install due to its low weight. Each made entirely of low density and medium density FC materials described in Australian Patent No. AU515151 and US Pat. No. 6,346,146, which are incorporated herein by reference and have other functional and visual features. By manufacturing the siding board, a more marketable siding board can be obtained.

  One siding structure using a locking system is extensive to maintain gauge (visible vertical distance between planks) and overlap (vertical distance over which the plank covers the plank below) during installation. Allows the planks to be locked together without the need for measurement. While this locking structure has a number of inherent advantages, this structure has little to no flexibility when installed on a non-planar wall. Accordingly, the embodiments described below include a lock plank that allows the outer siding plate to be installed on a non-planar wall.

  In addition, some locking structures do not work well for the slight variations in gauge that the installer desires, especially when trying to eliminate misalignment during framing and installation around window and door openings. Insufficient insertion of the V-shaped lock key siding may cause the plank to subsequently undergo lateral movement (flapping) when exposed to the wind. Rather, it is advantageous to have a lock structure that allows slight variations in gauge while preventing lateral movement (flapping) when exposed to wind.

  Furthermore, improving the functional performance of existing FC siding boards will greatly increase the value of the siding board market. For example, the alignment function or fixed indicator described below enhances the value of the FC siding by facilitating the installation process. Furthermore, as nailable extruded products have emerged on the market, there is a need to nail the product to allow for proper and quick installation. Thus, there is sufficient business motivation to find a cost-effective way to add features such as mounting indicators to the FC siding. There is also a need for a method of forming a stackable siding that protects the lateral edges from lateral forces and allows the nail to be hidden under the slap wrap, as described below.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention describes the use of fiber cement siding, it will be appreciated that other materials may be used. It will also be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to siding and can be used for other applications.
I. At least one embodiment relates to a low density slab having a locking mechanism and a method of installing the same. In one embodiment, the siding is manufactured by making a low density FC material using processes including but not limited to the Hatschek process described in US Pat. No. 6,346,146, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. . Low density fiber cements typically have a density in the range of about 0.7 g / cm ³ to 1.2 g / cm ³ , while medium density typically has a density of about 1.3 g / cm ³ to 1.5 g / cm ^{3. 3} . This embodiment includes a locking mechanism that allows each siding plate to engage when installed as a siding plate on a mounting surface (eg, an outer wall).

  1A and 1B show two perspective views of the siding plate 1100. As shown in FIG. 1A, the siding plate 1100 includes a back surface 1110, an end surface 1115, a key 1130, and a lock 1140. As shown in FIG. 1B, the siding plate 1100 further includes a surface 1120. Table 1 shows the preferred range of dimensions for the siding of this embodiment.

  FIG. 2 is an end view of a siding plate 1110 that further represents a key 1130 and a lock 1140. Specifically, the key 1130 further includes a key tip 1132 and is angled 1135 with respect to a vertical plane. The key tip preferably forms a recessed step on the front side of the plank. However, it will be appreciated that the key tip need not have a step and may have a variety of shapes and configurations, including those described below. The lock 1140 makes an angle 1145 (θ) with respect to the vertical plane. The angle 1135 (θ) is in the range of about 85 ° to 30 °, and preferably about 45 ° in one embodiment. Angle 1145 is preferably approximately equal to angle 1135.

  In one embodiment, a commercially available spindle molder (not shown) is used to machine the key 1130 and lock 1140 on the siding plate 1100. The spindle molder is similar to a wood cutting machine, but has a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) blade that improves performance when cutting FC products. Conventional machining methods for shaping FC material are used to cut the siding. The use of low density fiber cement is particularly advantageous as it facilitates material machining and increases tool life. The end face 1115 is rectangular before machining.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a siding system 1500. As shown in FIG. 3, the first nail 1540 securely attaches the first siding plate 1510 to the mounting surface 1560, so that the first nail 1540 is completely hidden by the overlap ("blind" ) "Nailing"). The mounting surface 1560 is typically a series of wall studs. The key 1130 of the first siding board 1510 is inserted into the lock area of the second siding board 1520, that is, the overlapping area 1140. A second nail 1550 securely attaches the second siding plate 1520 to the attachment surface 1560. The gap 1530 formed between the first siding plate 1510 and the second siding plate 1520 should have a visually narrow size. The first siding plate 1510 and the second siding plate 1520 are substantially the same as the siding plate 1100 shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 2.

  FIG. 4 illustrates a method 1160 of placing each siding plate on a mounting surface to form a siding plate system, including:

  A first siding panel is attached (1610). As shown in FIG. 3, the first siding plate 1510 is brought into contact with the mounting surface 1560. A first nail 1540 is driven near the upper edge of the first siding plate 1510 to firmly attach the first siding plate 1510 to the mounting surface 1560.

  The lock mechanism and the key mechanism are aligned (1620). As shown in FIG. 3, the second siding plate 1520 contacts the mounting surface 1560 from above the first siding plate 1510 so that the lock 1140 of the second siding plate 1520 is aligned with the key 1130 of the first siding plate 1510. Let

  The second panel is lowered (1630). The second panel 1520 is lowered onto the first panel 1510. When the second siding plate 1520 descends (with the aid of gravity) onto the first siding plate 1510, the key 1130 of the first siding plate 1510 automatically hits the lock 1140 of the second siding plate 1520 and is aligned with the lock 1140. Become position. In this locked position, the key 1130 of the first siding plate 1510 prevents the second siding plate 1520 from moving under the influence of wind power, and thus prevents damage from the wind. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, in the locked position, the gauge and overlap are constant and a uniform shadow line is formed.

  A second siding is attached (1640). A second nail 1550 is driven near the upper edge of the second siding plate 1520 to securely attach the second siding plate 1520 to the mounting surface 1560. The method is then repeated to cover the mounting surface and form a larger siding system.

  The above-described embodiments have several advantages over the prior art. For example, this embodiment eliminates face nailing. Since a nail is often used to fit two siding plates together exactly and uniformly, it is impossible to hide the nail head when completed. Conveniently, the siding board assembly of this embodiment provides a way to fit two FC sidings together and provides a uniform shadow line without the need for face nails to secure the two siding boards. Form.

  Furthermore, as another advantage, this embodiment uses gravity to secure the sidings together during installation. Conventional siding boards such as vinyl are equipped with an engagement mechanism that requires upward movement against gravity to engage two adjacent siding boards in place. Installation is facilitated by a more natural downward movement using gravity. Conveniently, the assembly of this embodiment helps to engage the planks using gravity.

  Another advantage of this embodiment is that this embodiment allows nails or fasteners to penetrate the fiber cement plank directly, unlike conventional fiber cement siding panels that are indirectly bonded to the mounting surface. That is. Direct fixation of the fiber cement plank can be done using fasteners that penetrate the plank and attach the plank to the mounting surface.

  In addition, prior art siding plates often receive wind force that may separate the siding plate from its mounting surface. The above-described embodiments reduce the possibility of damage caused by wind power.

  A “shadow line” is formed by the thickness of the bottom edge of the siding that casts a shadow on the siding directly below. A uniform shadow line is desirable to the eye, which is usually done by nailing the siding. The above-described embodiment forms a uniform shadow line between two siding plates without requiring a face nail to fix the siding plates together.

  The siding installer will combine the need to quickly install the siding with the need to carefully measure the gauge and overlap to match. Gauge is the visible vertical distance between siding plates, and overlap is the vertical distance over which the upper siding plate covers the lower siding plate. Due to the structure of the siding, the gauge and overlap alignment is maintained without the need to measure these characteristics, so that the key mechanism and locking mechanism described above allow the siding to proceed more quickly.

It will be appreciated that the locks and keys of the siding board assembly described above are not limited to planks formed from a single material. Thus, as described in other embodiments below, a multi-member siding system can be used to form the desired look and function of the assembly.
II. In another embodiment of a siding plank having an extruded fixed indicator, a plank having a fixed indicator and a fixed gap or indentation below the fixed indicator is provided. Here, a fixed indicator, a fiber cement product having a fixed gap or depression below the fixed indicator, and an apparatus for extruding an FC product having a fixed indicator are described. As a result, an FC product is obtained that is easy to install and that properly positions the fixation device within a predetermined nailing area.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the FC plank of a preferred embodiment. The plank 10100 includes a plank surface, ie, an outer surface 10110, a fixed indicator 10120 located near the first edge of the plank, ie, the top edge 10130, a plank back, ie, an inner surface 10140, and a thickness. It includes an overlap area or lock area 10150 located near the second or lower edge 10160 of the plate. The plank 10100 is preferably a siding plate manufactured in FC using a conventional extrusion process. The fixed indicator 10120 is a depression in the plank inner surface 10110 formed by the extrusion mold shown in FIG. Similarly, region 10150 is a depression in the plank inner surface 10140 formed by the extrusion mold shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is an end view of a preferred embodiment extrusion mold 10200. The extrusion mold 10200 includes a mold outlet 10210 having a mold outlet upper surface 10220, a fixed indicator dimple 10230 located near the first edge 10240 of the mold outlet, a mold outlet lower surface 10250, and a mold outlet. And an overlap region foam 10260 located near the second edge 10270 of the substrate. Extrusion mold 10200 is a conventional extrusion mold used with FC mixtures. The opening of the mold outlet 10210 is shaped to form the plank 10100 of FIG. 5 as follows. That is, the mold exit top surface 10220 forms a plank outer surface 10110,
The fixed indicator dimple 10230 forms a fixed indicator 10120;
The first edge 10240 of the mold outlet forms the first edge 10130 of the plank,
The mold exit lower surface 10250 forms a plank inner surface 10140,
The overlap region form 10260 forms an overlap region 10150,
The second edge 10270 of the mold exit forms the second edge 10160 of the plank.
The fixed indicator dimple 10230 has a depth “d” and a width “w” and is located a distance “a” from the first edge 10240 of the mold outlet. The fixed indicator may have a depth between 0.015 inches (0.08 mm) and 0.080 inches (2.03 mm), more preferably 0.035 inches (0.058 inches). Preferably it has an embossed shape between about 1.40 mm). The indicator is from about 0.0015 square inches (about 0.0097 cm ² ) to about 0.25 square inches (about 1.61 cm ² ), more preferably 0.015 square inches (0.097 cm ² ) to 0.0625 square inches. It may be in the form of regular or irregular geometric shapes or symbols or letters covering an area of inches (0.40 cm ² ).

  FIG. 7 shows the siding system of the preferred embodiment. The siding system 10300 includes planks 10100A and 10100B, a wall 10310, and a nail 10320. When using conventional blind nailing techniques, plank assemblies 10100A and 10100B are fixedly coupled to wall 10310 using nails (or screws or staples). FIG. 7 shows a nail 10320 located in the fixed indicator 10120 of the plank 10100A and driven into the wall 10310 through the plank 10100A. When installed, the plank 10100B is positioned such that the overlap region 10150 of the plank 10100B covers the nail 10320 and the fixed indicator 10120 of the plank 10100A. Thus, the first edge of the plank, ie the upper edge 10130, forms the key tip that surrounds the overlap area, ie the lock area 10150.

  Referring to FIG. 7, it can be seen that the preferred embodiment of the fixed indicator 10120 prevents the nail 10320 from being too close to the edge of the plank 10100A, thereby preventing cracking or cracking of the plank 10100A. Further, it can be seen that the fixed indicator 10120 causes the nail 10320 to be completely within the overlap area 10150 and therefore not visible during installation.

  Another embodiment, not shown, is an FC product having a plurality of fixed indicators 10120 at various locations on the outer surface of the plank 10100.

  As another embodiment not shown, there is a groove on the inner surface of the plank 10100 formed by extrusion like the fixed indicator 10120 and used to bond the plank 10100 to the wall 10310 of FIG. There are FC products.

  In yet other embodiments, the fixed indicator can be formed using post-extrusion marking techniques, such as using manual embossing in combination with conventional Hatschek manufacturing processes. Similarly, a manual embossing roller positioned within the mold outlet 10210 of the preferred embodiment extrusion mold 10200 can be used in combination with a conventional extrusion process.

  As can be seen in FIG. 8, other embodiments reduce stress that can cause cracks and cracks in the upper edge of the product when the product is nailed or secured to a wall frame or siding. Thus, it has a fixed gap 10421 optionally included below the line of the fixed indicator. The fixed gap can be formed using a mandrel in the extrusion process.

  FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the FC plank of a preferred embodiment. The plank 10400 is another example of an FC plank having a fixed indicator 10420. The plank 10400 shows an example of an aesthetically pleasing pattern on the outer surface of the plank 10400 formed by extrusion similar to the fixed indicator 10420 and a fixed gap or indentation 10421 below the line of the fixed indicator. .

  Advantageously, the siding plate assembly of this embodiment includes an inexpensive mounting indicator on the siding plate that reduces damage to the plank due to improper mounting during installation. Furthermore, the installation time of the extruded FC product is also shortened. Furthermore, the siding board assembly is aesthetically pleasing because it conceals the attachment by limiting the attachment area to the overlap area between adjacent stacked planks.

  Understanding that fixed indicators can be formed using post-extrusion marking techniques such as manual embossing techniques, machining techniques, inkjet or other printing techniques, stamping techniques, compression molding techniques, painting techniques, etc., all of which are time consuming and costly Let's be done.

Further, it will be appreciated that the fixed indicator can be used in some, if not all, paneling assemblies described herein. For example, similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, the plank of FIG. 5 includes a lock at the overlap region 10150 and a key tip that is inserted into the lock at the first edge 10130. Thus, it can be seen that a fixed indicator can be similarly placed on the key 130 of FIG.
III. Two-piece FC plank and method of manufacturing the same In another embodiment, a two-piece FC plank and method of manufacturing the same are provided. Forming the various shapes described throughout this specification with these two-piece planks to achieve locks and keys, hidden nails, deep shadow lines, and other features described herein. Can do.

It will be appreciated that several manufacturing processes that join two FC material members to form a product use industry standard adhesives. However, due to the composition of the FC material and the adhesive, the time taken for the two FC material members to adhere (“attachment time”) is long and the bond strength between the two FC members is weak. Thus, the bonding process using industry standard adhesives reduces the durability of the installed siding and delays the post-treatment of the product, thereby extending the product manufacturing cycle time. Advantageously, the joining process of the embodiments described below realizes a high speed process of joining two FC members to form a highly durable joint.
A. First Roller Method FIGS. 9A and 9B are perspective views of a two-piece FC plank 2100. FIG. The two-piece plank 2100 includes a main plank part 2140, a second member, that is, a butting member 2130, a first end 2120, and an adhesive 2110. The main plank portion 2140 is preferably medium density FC, and generally has a thickness of about 1/4 inch (about 6.35 mm), but about 3/16 inch (about 5.77 mm) or less. It may be as thin or as thick as about ½ inch (about 1.27 cm) or more. The width is preferably in the range of about 5 inches (about 12.7 cm) to about 12 inches (about 30.48 cm) depending on the application. The length is preferably in the range of about 12 feet (about 3.66 m) to 16 feet (about 4.88 m) depending on the application. The main plank portion 2140 can be manufactured to have a smooth or machined surface. Other information regarding the main plank portion 2140 is described in Australian Patent No. AU515151. The main plank portion 2140 has an upper surface 2140U that is also regarded as the back surface.

  The butt member 2130 is preferably made of medium density FC material and is typically about 5/16 inch thick, but no more than about 1/4 inch thick. It may have a small thickness or may be as thick as about 5/8 inch (about 1.59 cm) or more. The width of the butt member 2130 is typically about ½ inch (about 1.27 cm), but depending on the application, it may have a width as large as about 2 inches (about 5.08 cm) or more. It may have a width as narrow as / 8 inches or less. The length is usually the same as the main plank portion 2140, depending on the application (about 12 to 16 feet). The butting member 230 has a lower surface 2130L that is also regarded as a surface. The function of the butt member 2130 is to reinforce the main plank portion 2140 and thereby increase the overall stiffness of the plank 2100. The second function of the butt member 2130 is to achieve a thickness for improving the shadow line, that is, the desired appearance.

  In one embodiment, the adhesive 2110 located between the upper surface 2140U of the main plank portion 2140 and the lower surface 2130L of the butt member 2130 is a fast cure reactive molten polyurethane having a viscosity of about 10,000 CPS to 100,000 CPS at the application temperature. Another embodiment of the adhesive 2110 will be described below. The application temperature of the adhesive 2110 ranges from about 200 ° F to 325 ° F. The adhesion time ranges from about 3 seconds to 5 seconds. The adhesion time is the time taken for bond strength to occur after the adhesive is applied and the nip pressure is changed.

  At the time of work, an adhesive is applied to the bead on the upper surface 2140U of the main plank part 2140 along the length of the main plank part 2140. This can be done by using a Nordson melt extrusion system. The adhesive beads are preferably arranged at a short distance such as about 1 ″ or 1/2 ″. A preferred amount of adhesive is about 1 gram / ft / bead. However, this amount may be as low as about 0.5 grams / feet / bead or as high as about 2 grams / feed / bead. Immediately after applying the adhesive 2110 (for example, within about 3 seconds), the first end 2120 of the butt member 2130 faces the center of the main plank portion 2140 as shown in FIG. 9A. The lower surface 2130L of the butting member 2130 and the upper surface 2140U of the main thick plate portion 2140 are brought into contact with each other. When the main thick plate portion 2140 and the butting member 2130 are disposed, a two-piece thick plate 2100 having an upper surface 2100U and a lower surface 2100L is formed. The bottom surface of the main thick plate portion 2140 and the bottom surface of the butting member 2130 preferably form the same plane.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the first end 2120 of the butt member 2130 makes an angle θ of about 15 °, but may range from about 0 ° to 60 ° with respect to a horizontal plane. The function of the tilted surface is to help drain.

  FIGS. 11A and 11B are a perspective view and an end view, respectively, of a pressure roller system 2200 that squeezes the main thick plate portion 2140 onto the butt member 2130.

  The first roller 2210 and the second roller 2220 are steel rollers having a diameter of 7 inches (about 17.78 cm) facing each other, and are preferably arranged in parallel and adjacent to each other with a gap therebetween. . During the work, the thick plate 2100 is fed into the gap between the first roller 2210 and the second roller 2220. The gap between the roller 2210 and the roller 2220 is large enough to sandwich the thick plate 2100 by an interference fit. Accordingly, the first roller 2210 directly contacts the upper surface 2100U of the butting member 2130, and the second roller 2220 directly contacts the lower surface 2100L of the thick plate 2140. The plank 2100 is passed through the roller 2200 at about 50 feet (about 15.24 m) / min. As the plank 2100 passes through the roller system 2200, the first roller 2210 and the second roller 2220 compress the plank 2100 for about 3 seconds to 5 seconds at a pressure of about 750 lb / inch of roller width.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a method 2400 for manufacturing a two-piece medium density slab 2100 including:

The adhesive is melted (2410). Fast cure reactive molten polyurethane is melted in a melt application system. One such system is commercially available from Nordson Corporation. Application temperatures range from about 200 ⁰ F to 325 ⁰ F.

  Is the plank and butt member flat (2420)? Whether the flat plate 2140 and the butt member 2130 are flat or not is checked. If it is determined that the plank 2140 and the butting member 2130 are flat, the process proceeds to step 2430. If it is determined that the plank 2140 and the butting member 2130 are wavy or uneven, refer to the method 2500 shown in FIG.

  Adhesive is applied (2430). A melt adhesive that is typically about 1 gram / ft / bead, but may be as low as about 0.5 g or as high as about 2 g, may be used with a main plank portion 2140 (using a system extrusion nozzle from Nordson Corporation). (See FIG. 9A) and is applied to beads placed on the upper surface 2140U at intervals of about ½ ″ to 1 ″.

  The butt member is placed on the adhesive (2440). As shown in FIG. 9A and as described above, butt member 2130 is placed on adhesive 2110.

  Each member is maintained under pressure (2450). Immediately after step 2440 is complete (preferably within 3 seconds), the plank 2100 is maintained under pressure (approximately 750 lb / inch of roller width), preferably at least 3 seconds, and the adhesive 2110 is cooled. The roller system 2200 is then passed to provide time for coupling with the main plank portion 2140 and the butting member 2130. When the main plank portion 2140 and the butt end portion 2130 are squeezed, the bead of the adhesive 2110 spreads in the thin layer.

  The method shown in FIG. 12 is a step of maintaining pressure on the plank 2100 when both the plank 2140 and the butt member 2130 are flat. However, other processes have been developed to join the surfaces having variable flatness shown in FIG.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating another method 2500 for manufacturing a two-piece medium density plank 2100 that includes the following.

The adhesive is dissolved (2510). Fast cure reactive molten polyurethane is melted in a melt application system. One such system is commercially available from Nordson Corporation. The application temperature is typically about 250 ⁰ F, but can range from about 200 ⁰ F to 325 ⁰ F.

  Is the plank and butt member flat (2520)? Whether the flat plate 2140 and the butt member 2130 are flat or not is checked. If it is determined that the plank 2140 and the butt 2130 are flat, refer to the method 2400 shown in FIG. If it is determined that the plank 2140 and the butting member 2130 are wavy or uneven, the process proceeds to step 2530.

  Adhesive is applied (2530). A melt adhesive that is typically about 1 gram / ft / bead, but may be as low as about 0.5 g or as high as about 2 g, may be used with a main plank portion 2140 (using a system extrusion nozzle from Nordson Corporation). (See FIG. 9A). Apply to beads placed on top surface 2140U at intervals of about 1/2 "to 1" (preferably applied to a minimum of 2 beads).

  The butt member is placed on the adhesive (2540). As shown in FIG. 9A and as described above, butt member 2130 is placed on adhesive 2110.

  Each member is maintained under pressure (2550). Immediately after step 2540 is complete (preferably within about 9 to 12 seconds), the plank 2100 is maintained under pressure (about 750 psi), preferably at least 4 seconds, and the adhesive 2110 is allowed to cool. Then, it is placed in a conventional hydraulic plate press or a continuous press (not shown) that gives time for coupling with the main plank portion 2140 and the butting member 2130. When the main plank portion 2140 and the butt end portion 2130 are squeezed, the bead of the adhesive 2110 spreads in a thin layer.

Advantageously, it is possible to junction the two FC material member at high speed, therefore, it is possible to start the process after junction immediately. Furthermore, to junction the two FC material member, more cost effective than to form an equivalent structure by machining a single rectangular FC section. The siding board assembly forms an improved shadow line with a first end of the butt end that extends partially over the top surface of the main plank section and provides a thick butt edge for the traditional cedar aspect. . The butt end member, the rigidity of the FC panel products is also increased, thus, it is possible to easily handle installed FC panel product.

The shape described here is formed from two fiber cement members, but it will be understood that an equivalent shape can be formed by machining the solid rectangular portion. However, this method is more costly and can produce large amounts of waste material. It will be appreciated that other shapes, such as those described below, can be made by abutting the two members.
B. Second Roller Method In another embodiment, the cementitious adhesive mixture described below is located between the upper surface 2140U of the plank 2140 and the lower surface 2130L of the butt member 2130, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. ing. During work, an adhesive is applied along the length of the upper surface 2140U of the thick plate 2140 or the lower surface 2130L of the butt member 2130. The thickness of the applied adhesive 2110 depends on the uniformity of the processed surfaces 2130L and 2140L, and is typically an amount that covers the surface 2130L or 2140U, but about 1/8 inch (about 3.18 mm). It is preferable that the amount does not exceed.

As an alternative to the roller system described above, FIGS. 14A and 14B show a slab assembly 3100 that also includes a hand roller 3210 and an interleaver 3150. The interleaver 3150 is a hardened FC material used to support the plank assembly and physically contacts the bottom plate 3140L of the plank. During operation, the hand roller 3210 functionally contacts the upper surface 3130U of the butting member 3130. Hand roller 3210 is rolled along the length of the plank assembly is used to apply pressure to the upper surface 3130U between butt member 3130 adhesive 3110 to junction plank 3140 and butt member 3130.

  FIG. 15 shows a process of manufacturing a two-piece medium-density plate assembly using a cementitious adhesive described later. This method includes the following.

  An adhesive is applied (3310). As shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, an adhesive 3110 is applied to the upper surface 3140U of the plank 3140.

  The butt member and the plank are brought into contact (3320). As shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, the lower surface 3130L of the butting member 3130 and the upper surface 3140U of the thick plate 3140 are brought into contact with each other.

  Pressure is applied to the butt member (3330). As shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, the hand roller 3210 is rolled in the direction perpendicular to the upper surface 3130U and the lower surface 3140L over the length of the surface 3130U of the slab assembly 3100 to bring the adhesive into contact with each fiber cement member. The member 3130 and the thick plate 3140 are bonded together.

  The adhesive is prematurely cured (3340). The slab assembly is air dried for a time that is typically about 12 hours, but may be as long as about 24 hours or more, or as short as about 8 hours.

Autoclave the plank assembly (3350). The slab assembly is autoclaved at a temperature between about 350 ⁰ F and 400 ⁰ F for about a period of about 8 hours at about 120 psi to 145 psi.

  The plank assembly is cut (3360). Cut off the overflowing cementitious adhesive 3110 from the cured and autoclaved slab assembly.

Adhering two fiber cement members using a cementitious adhesive, described below, has all of the advantages described above for the polymeric adhesive. Another advantage is that the cementitious adhesive is compatible with the fiber cement material, is economical, and can be co-cured with the fiber cement member to form a durable bond.
C. Cementitious Adhesive Composition The embodiment described above with respect to bonding two fiber cement planks in a preferred embodiment utilizes a novel cementitious adhesive composition. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention provides a composition of materials for cementitious adhesives that join materials, preferably FC materials, more preferably medium density FC materials, and methods of making the cementitious adhesives. . The adhesive raw material preferably contains cement, silica, thickener, and water, and may contain organic fibers or inorganic fibers. This adhesive composition can be used to bond FC materials together prior to autoclaving.

It will be appreciated that preferred adhesives can withstand autoclave temperatures and are compatible with FC materials. Most conventional adhesives and polymerization control adhesives melt, burn, or deteriorate when exposed to temperatures above about 375 ⁰ F. During the manufacturing process, the FC material is dried in an autoclave that can reach about 400 ⁰ F. Therefore, it is not possible to bond the FC material prior to autoclaving using a conventional polymeric adhesive.

Further, preferred adhesive selected as the adhesive used on the FC material, compatible with the material to be engaged contact should have as much as possible similar composition to the material. As a result, the system as a whole reacts similarly to environmental factors within each element (environmental factors include temperature fluctuations, acid rain effects, humidity, and wet / dry cycles). Adhesives and FC materials are aging as well and therefore do not weaken the system.

Advantageously, the adhesive composition of this embodiment is capable of withstanding the curing temperature of the autoclave, compatible with FC material to be junction. Furthermore, this adhesive composition is less costly, easier to use and more environmentally friendly compared to a polymeric adhesive or a polymeric controlled adhesive. This adhesive composition also does not degrade under alkaline or wet conditions, unlike other adhesives.

  Cement, silica, and thickener are all added to the adhesive mixture in powder form, where each ingredient has a maximum particle size of about 200 microns. Cement may be present in an amount between about 10 wt% and 80 wt% in this composition, silica may be present in an amount up to about 90 wt% in this composition, and the thickener is maximum in this composition. May be present in an amount of about 2 wt%. Water may be present in this composition in amounts up to about 90 wt% (all weight references in this document are given based on dry material weight unless otherwise indicated).

  The organic fibers in the composition may be in the form of cellulose fibers (fibers may be decolored pulp) and may be present in this composition in an amount up to about 5 wt%. The inorganic fibers in this composition may be in the form of wollastonite and may be present in this composition in an amount up to about 3 wt%. Either form of fiber (organic and inorganic) length may be up to about 3 mm.

Table 2 shows three exemplary compositions of cementitious adhesive. Each composition includes a cement to form the body of the junction, and a finely divided silica to junction responsive to the cement when it is autoclaved. Silica also serves as a filler / aggregate that reduces the cost of the matrix without significantly reducing performance. Thickeners delay water from being drawn from the slurry (adhesive) into the fiber cement. Since the thickener is present, cementitious adhesive remains between sticky junction process of the fiber cement surface and the adhesive fills the gap between the members to each other to be junction, the second "Wet" the surface. This is necessary to form a good cementitious junction. Thickeners also retard / inhibit cure in the slurry and increase “open time” to increase the viscosity of the wet adhesive.

Composition 1 and Composition 3 further comprises a fiber to enhance the junction strength. Both organic and inorganic fibers act similarly in composition, but organic fibers require preparation for use, and organic fibers tend to be more expensive to purchase than organic fibers. The fibers add strength to the adhesive composition but can clog certain applicators during use. To address this problem, composition 2 does not contain fibers. It is added as required reactants cement in forming the hydrated cementitious junction. Water also mixes the adhesive, disperses the fibers and solids in the mixture, and gives the mixture the “viscosity” necessary to apply the adhesive.

Figure 16 illustrates a method 4100 that includes, for manufacturing a cementitious adhesive for junction medium density FC material that follows.

  Step 4110: Does the adhesive composition contain fibers? In this step, the method 4100 proceeds to step 4112 if the composition being manufactured contains fibers. Otherwise, method 4100 proceeds to step 4115.

  Step 4112: Does the adhesive composition contain organic fibers? In this step, the method 4100 proceeds to step 4130 if the composition being manufactured contains organic fibers. Otherwise, the composition is assumed to include inorganic fibers and method 4100 proceeds to step 4120.

  Step 4115: Mix silica, cement, and water. In this step, method 4100 adds powdered silica to water to form a 50 wt% silica slurry, and then transfers the silica slurry to a mixer (such as a Hobart mixer). Method 4100 adds powdered cement and water to a solids weight percentage of about 68% to 70% (total water volume of about 430 ml to 470 ml per kg of solids), and then the adhesive composition is mixed for about 5 minutes. To homogenize the mixture. An example of a Hobart mixer is shown in FIG. The method 4100 then proceeds to step 4140. FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of a Hobart low shear mixer 4200 containing an adhesive composition. Both FIG. A and FIG. B include Hobart mixing boule 4210 and adhesive composition 4240. In FIG. A, ribbon blade 4220 mixes adhesive composition 4240, and in other FIG. B, whisk blade 4230 mixes adhesive composition 4240. Similar results can be obtained with either blade.

  Step 4120: Mixing silica, inorganic fiber, cement, and water. In this step, method 4100 adds powdered silica to water to form a 50 wt% silica slurry, and then transfers the silica slurry to a mixer (such as the Hobart mixer shown in FIG. 17). Method 4100 adds powdered cement and water, and adds extra water to reduce the weight percentage of solids to about 67% to 68% (total water volume of about 470 ml to 500 ml per kg of solids). Mix for about 5 minutes. The method 4100 then proceeds to step 4140.

  Step 4130: Disperse the organic fiber in water. In this step, the method 4100 adds organic fibers such as unmixed pulp and bleached pulp. This pulp has already been hydrated, beaten and diluted to about 0.4% by weight with water. Method 4100 mixes and disperses organic fibers for about 5 minutes.

  Step 4132: Mix silica and cement. In this step, the method 4100 adds silica to the organic fiber, then adds cement and mixes the mixture. In a preferred approach, the silica, cement, and fiber ingredients are mixed and then each ingredient is mixed in a mixer (such as the Hobart mixer shown in FIG. 17) for 5 minutes to homogenize the mixture.

  Step 4134: Dehydrate the mixture (optional). Following step 4132, the dehydrator 4300 shown in FIG. 18 dehydrates the mixture to achieve a uniform thin paint consistency as described below. The method 4100 then proceeds to step 4140.

  FIG. 18 is a schematic view of a dehydrator 4300 including a first surface 4310, a second surface 4320, a third surface 4330, and a fourth surface 4340. In one embodiment, the dehydrator 4300 preferably has the same length, width, and height. In other embodiments, each face may be about 10 inches (about 25.4 cm) in length and about 3 inches (about 7.62 cm) in height. As shown in FIG. 18, the first surface 4310 and the third surface 4330 are parallel to each other, and the second surface 4320 and the fourth surface 4340 are parallel to each other. Are connected to the other two surfaces at an angle of 90 ° (for example, the first surface 4310 has an angle of 90 ° with respect to the second surface 4320 and the fourth surface 4340).

  The dehydrator 4300 is configured to hold a perforated metal plate 4316, a coarse screen 4314, and a fine screen 4312. FIGS. 18A, 18B, and 18C are plan views of screens 4312 and 4314 and plate 4312, respectively. The fine screen 4312 is compliant with ASTM # 325, the coarse screen 4314 is compliant with ASTM # 10, and the plate 4316 is about 3/16 "thick and has a 1/4" diameter round hole. 4317 is provided at a frequency of 9 per square inch. Screens 4312 and 4314 and plate 4316 can be made of metal or other equivalent material to achieve a similar function.

  During work, the adhesive composition is poured into the dehydrator 4300. A set of mesh screens and metal plates (not shown) identical to 4312, 4314, and 4316 are placed inside 4300 so that the screens and plates are parallel to each other and the adhesive composition is contained between the two sets. Stack in reverse order on the pair. The adhesive composition is dehydrated by applying downward pressure to each screen and each plate. The drained liquid can be drained from the bottom of the dehydrator 4300, or any vacuum apparatus (not shown) can be used to remove the accumulated liquid from the top of each screen and each plate.

  Step 4140: Transfer to high shear mixer. In this step, the adhesive composition 4240 is added to the high shear mixer shown in FIG. FIG. 19 shows a high shear mixer 4400 that includes an adhesive composition 4240. Adhesive composition 4240 is added to high shear mixing bowl 4410 and high shear mixing blade 4420 rotates at a speed sufficient to form a vortex at the center of the mixing bowl (approximately 6000 RPM), fully integrating all ingredients. To do.

  Step 4142: Add thickener. In this step, the method 4100 adds a thickener to the high shear mixer 4400 as necessary to achieve thin paint consistency. Thickeners include commercially available cellulose derivatives such as “Bermocell” (cellulose ether), “Ethocel” (ethylcellulose polymer), “Cellosize” (hydroxyethylcellulose) or “Natrosol” (hydroxyethylcellulose and derivatives), polyurethanes, and Can be made of polyacrylate. One preferred thickener is “Natrosol Plus D430” which is a cellulose derivative (hydroxyethylcellulose modified to be hydrophobic). The amount of thickener in one embodiment is nominally 0.5 wt%, although more thickener may be added to achieve the desired viscosity. Visual determination is sufficient to confirm the desired viscosity of the adhesive composition.

Can be other adhesives junction of FC material together with it it will be understood. Such adhesives, polymers or polymerization regulators adhesives junction of FC material together (referred to as "thin set") are included. However, these products may not be suitable for exposure to high temperatures in the autoclave. The plastic degrades at about 375 ⁰ F and is destroyed during autoclaving. In addition, polymers and polymerization control adhesives are expensive to use compared to the preferred adhesives described above.
IV. Various configurations of two-piece FC planks The one-piece FC planks and two-piece FC planks described above advantageously allow for the formation of a variety of different shapes that give the plank various desired characteristics. Hereinafter, various structures related to the two-piece plank will be described. However, it will be appreciated that similar shapes can be formed using one material member, or other combinations of materials as described below.
A. In one embodiment, a two-piece medium density plank having a locking mechanism and a method of manufacturing the same, the two-piece FC plank includes a butt member having a lock as described above. As shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B, the plank assembly 5100 includes a plank 5140, a butt member 5130, and an adhesive 5110. In this embodiment, the plank 5140 further includes a key 5160 and the butt member 5130 further includes a lock 5150.

  FIG. 21 is a side view of the thick plate assembly 5100. As shown in FIG. 21, the lock 5150 makes a lock angle 5285 with respect to the horizontal line 5290. The locking angle in one embodiment is in the range of about 5 ° to 60 °, with about 45 ° being particularly preferred. Key 5160 forms an angle of key angle 5275 with respect to horizontal line 5280 in one embodiment. The key angle 5275 is between about 5 ° and 60 °, and is preferably about 45 °, but in any case approximately equal to the lock angle 5285. Methods for cutting lock 5150 and key 5160 (eg, using a router with a saw tooth, high speed molder, abrasive grinding tool, cutting tool for FC material) are known in the art.

  FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of two installed plank assemblies. As shown in FIG. 22, the first nail 5340 securely attaches the first plank assembly 5300 to the mounting surface 5360. Mounting surface 5360 is typically a wall stud. A second nail 5350 securely attaches the second plank assembly 5310 to the attachment surface 5360. The first plank assembly 5300 and the second plank assembly 5310 are substantially the same as the plank assembly 5100 described above. The first plank assembly 5300 includes a key 5320 that is inserted into the lock 5330 of the second plank assembly 5310.

  FIG. 23 illustrates a method of installing a plank assembly on a mounting surface, including the following steps.

  Step 5410: Install first plank assembly. In this step, the first plank assembly 5300 is brought into contact with the mounting surface 5360 as shown in FIG. The first nail 5340 is driven into the first plank assembly 5300 and the first plank assembly 5300 is securely attached to the mounting surface 5360.

  Step 5420: Align the lock mechanism and key mechanism. In this step, as shown in FIG. 22, the second plank assembly 5310 is such that the lock 5330 of the second plank assembly 5310 is aligned with the key 5320 of the first plank assembly 5300. Is brought into contact with the mounting surface 5360 from above the first plank assembly 5300.

  Step 5430: Lower the second plank assembly. In this step, the second plank assembly 5310 is lowered onto the first plank assembly 5300. When plank assembly 5310 descends (with the aid of gravity) onto first plank assembly 5300, key 5320 of first plank assembly 5300 automatically locks second plank assembly 5310. It hits 5330 and is aligned with the lock 5330 to enter the lock position. In this locked position, the key 5320 of the first plank assembly 5300 prevents the second plank assembly 5310 from moving under the influence of wind power, and thus prevents wind damage.

  Step 5440: Install second plank assembly. In this step, the second plank assembly 5310 is driven into the second plank assembly 5310 to securely attach the second plank assembly 5310 to the mounting surface 5360.

  Advantageously, the siding plate assembly of this assembly is used to fit the two siding plates together without the need to secure the overlap area of the two planks with a visible nail to withstand high wind loads. Can be fitted together. Further, in the siding board assembly, it is not necessary to provide a starter strip at the base of the wall to provide the lap plank angle of the first installed plank.

It will be appreciated that another way to prevent the slab from being damaged by wind force is to nail the butt. However, this method is time consuming and may destroy or break the FC material, detracting from the appearance of the installed planks.
B. In another embodiment , a plank having an oversized “V” shaped lock and compressible region and a method of manufacturing the same , the two-piece FC plank includes an oversized “V” shaped lock system and additional compressible material. To make installation easier and improve the appearance. This embodiment is suitable for any thickness of a similar shape that uses a locking mechanism instead of nailing from the bottom edge of the outer plank to the top edge of the inner plank that is nailed to the frame. It also applies to plates. “V” shaped locks require extensive measurements to maintain gauge (visible vertical distance between slabs) and overlap (vertical distance over which the slab covers the underlying slab) during installation It is possible to lock the planks together without having to.

  The structure described below is particularly advantageous for walls that are not perfectly planar. When installing external paneling, you often encounter walls that are not perfectly flat. For example, wood studs in a wall may bend when the wood is dry after installation, forming a non-planar or “wavy” wall. This is a problem at the time of installation as well as a problem at the time of completion. If the “V” shaped FC planks do not lock completely (thus both locked planks hit the wall flat), the gauge and overlap will vary across the wall. As a result of the poor fit, the planks may later undergo lateral movement (flapping) when exposed to the wind.

  Advantageously, the planks described herein are more easily installed on non-planar walls because they can be mated without undue force. Furthermore, this lock key structure maintains better gauge and overlap than other “V” shaped lock structures. Therefore, the plank is straighter than the frame, which is often non-planar, so that the appearance on the wall is improved.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of FC plank assembly 6100 including plank body 6105, lock assembly 6150, and adhesive 6115. The plank body 6105 is fixedly connected to the lock assembly 6150 via an adhesive layer 6115 as shown in FIG. Adhesive 6115 is preferably a polymer hot melt adhesive or a cementitious adhesive. The method of manufacturing a two-piece plank that engaged against using one of the two adhesive described above. Table 3 shows the preferred range of dimensions of the plank body 6105 for one embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of plank assembly 6100 taken along line 25-25 shown in FIG. This figure shows how the lock surface 6370 is bonded to the plank back surface 6120 by the adhesive 6115. The method used to bond the lock surface 6370 to the plank back surface 6120 is the same as described above. FIG. 26 details the key 6200 that is part of the plank assembly 6100. The key 6200 includes a key tip 6210 which is a surface cut parallel to the horizontal line 6212 on a horizontal plane so as to “dull” the edge between the plank surface 6215 and the plank top surface 6110. . The length of the key tip 6210 is X _k as shown in FIG. The length X _k may be about 1/16 ″ to 3/16 ″ in one embodiment. The plank top surface 6110 is cut at an angle θ in the range of about 5 ° to 60 ° with respect to the horizontal line 6212.

FIG. 27 shows a lock assembly 6150 that includes a lock inner ramped surface 6315 where the first compressible region 6310 is located, a lock inner surface 6325 where the second compressible region 6320 is located, and a lock inner pillow surface 6330. Show. The length of the lock inner pillow surface 6330 is X _l as shown in FIG. The length X _l may range from about X _k +1/16 ″ to X _k +1/8 ″. The first compressible region 6310 and the second compressible region 6320 can be made of a compressible material such as polyurethane elastic foam, rubber, rubber foam, silicone rubber, or the like.

  Referring again to FIG. 27, the lock inner pillow surface 6330 is shown as making an angle of about 90 ° with respect to the lock surface 6370. The purpose of “blunting” the sharp cut where the lock inner surface 6325 and the lock inner inclined surface 6315 meet is to form a substantially flat surface rather than a slip point for the plank assembly to be locked to the upper plank assembly. It is to be. The lock inner pillow surface 6330 provides a reliable gauge by the plank assembly.

  FIG. 28 shows the approximate dimensions of the lock assembly 6150. The preferred ranges of dimensions shown in FIGS. 27 and 28 are shown in Table 4 below.

FIG. 29 shows how the key 6200 of the first plank assembly 6510 fits into the lock assembly 6150 of the second plank assembly 6520 and the shape of the lock assembly 6150 and the key 6200 is plank. It shows how to improve solid performance. Each lock inner dull surface 6330 and the key tip 6210 is cut at an angle of 90 ⁰ with respect plank surface 6215. This structure allows the plank assembly to provide some lateral compensation for installation on a non-planar wall. Although the lock assembly 6150 may move laterally after installation, the overlap is maintained because the key tip 6120 and the blunt surface 6330 do not move laterally. First compressible region 6310 and second compressible region 6320 are added to this embodiment to seal lock assembly 6150 with key 6200 and to absorb lateral movement of plank assemblies 6510 and 6520. Has been. The presence of the compressible regions 6310 and 6320 facilitates installation because the plank assembly can be locked in place without requiring excessive force. A second plank assembly 6520 locked to the lower first plank assembly 6510 is within a compressible distance between the lock inner ramped surface 6315 and the top of the first compression region 6310, and the lock inner side. It is possible to move within a compressible distance between the surface 6325 and the top of the second compressible region 6320.

  Since the wall frame is often not “vertical” (the wall may be non-planar), the top surface of the key 6200 does not form a straight line. By allowing the bottom surface of the second plank assembly 6520 to move relative to the key 6200, the lock assembly 6150 is still straight when the lock assembly 6150 is installed over the key 6200. (The lock assembly 6150 is held straight with its own stiffness). Although not perfect, this configuration is a significant improvement over simply following the frame shift in the wall undulations.

  FIG. 30 shows how the siding system 6400 looks after installation on the mounting surface 6410. Mounting surface 6410 is typically made of a series of wall studs (not shown). The plank assemblies 6400A, 6400C, and 6400D are installed such that each plank assembly is locked to the plank assembly below it. For example, nail 6420A secures the top of plank assembly 6400A to mounting surface 6410. The slab assembly 6400B is installed directly above the slab assembly 6400A, so an oversized “V” shaped lock secures the slab assembly 6400B. The nail 6420B then secures the temporary portion of the thick plate assembly 6400B to the mounting surface 6410. This process is repeated as desired for plank assembly 6400C, plank assembly 6400D, nail 6420C, and any other plank assembly and nail required to cover the mounting surface.

  The lock key structure is combined with the compressible regions 6310 and 6320 to allow some “deflection” (lateral compensation) in the siding system 6400. As a result, the siding panel compensates for the slight non-planarity of the mounting surface 6410, and the siding system 6400 appears to be flat (flat).

  FIG. 31 is a flowchart of a method 6500 for manufacturing a two-piece FC plank having an oversized “V” shaped lock and a compressible region, including the following steps.

  Step 6510: Manufacture a plank. In this step, the planks are preferably manufactured according to the conventional Hatschek method.

Step 6520: The junction of each plank member. This step, engaged against the plank body 6105 into the lock assembly 6150, forming the plank assembly 6100 shown in Figure 24. Method of forming a two-piece plank engaged against two FC material members by using a polymerization hot melt adhesive or a cementitious adhesive was described in detail above. Some other embodiments, if without the member in which they are engaged contact does not require this step.

Step 6530: Machine the plank to form keys and locks. In this step, a plank is manufactured and machined to the required shape. As can be seen with reference to FIGS. 24 to 26, the thick plate body 6105 is cut to form a thick plate top surface 6110 and a thick plate bottom surface 6130. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 26, the thick plate top surface 6110 is cut at an angle θ (forming a key) that is in the range of about 5 ° to 30 °. As shown in FIG. 27, the thick plate bottom surface 6130 is cut at an angle β that is in the range of about 0 ° to 30 °. To form the lock assembly 6150, first, as shown in FIG. 27, to form a locking bottom surface 6360 of the contact engaged the member is cut to the angle beta. The remaining surface of the lock assembly 6150 is cut to meet the length and angle specifications listed in Table 4 above. In addition, this step produces a two-piece plank with a lock-key structure using the same method described above, including the steps necessary to cut the plank.

Step 6540: Install compressible region. In this step, the first compressible region 6310 and the second compressible region 6320 are attached to the lock assembly 6150. Materials that can be used for the compressible regions 6310 and 6320 include commercially available products such as polyethylene elastic foam, rubber, rubber foam, silicone rubber. Compressible region is applied using conventional and coating methods such as "Nordsons" FoamMelt ^(R) coating equipment, and Series130 applied in 350 ⁰ F to about 250 ⁰ F. As shown in FIG. 27, the first compressible region 6310 is applied over the length of the lock assembly 6150 along the lock inner ramped surface 6315 and the second compressible region 6320 is applied to the lock inner surface 6325. Along the length of the lock assembly 6150. As shown in Table 4, the thickness y of the compressible region 6310 and the compressible region 6320 may range from about 1/32 ″ to 1/8 ″.

  Although this particular embodiment describes a two-piece plank, the use of a compressible region can be applied to other plank structures. Examples of planks that can take advantage of this feature include either the one-piece planks or two-piece planks described above, and the planks described below with plastic splines. Extruded thickness, as with any similarly shaped plank that uses a locking mechanism instead of nailing from the bottom edge of the outside plank to the top edge of the inside plank The board can also take advantage of this feature. An exemplary view of a two plank structure that can utilize a compressible region is shown in FIG.

  FIGS. 32A and 32B show a plank structure that can use a compressible region to improve plank function. FIG. 32A shows an extruded plank 6820 having a first compressible region 6812A and a second compressible region 6814A. FIG. 32B shows a hollow plank 6820 having a first hollow region 6815 and a second hollow region 6817 that may be filled with foam or other material, or left open without filling. One compressible region 6812B and a second compressible region 6814B are shown.

The above-described structure advantageously allows each plank to be easily installed by a non-planar wall. This is because the thick plates can be fitted together without excessive force. The compressible material advantageously also forms a capillary break as described below. In addition, the compressible material acts as a seal against wind and rain.
V. In another embodiment of a two-piece plank having a plastic spline, a plastic spline having a butt member and a lock and configured to be used in combination with an FC plank for siding applications is provided. As a result, two-piece FC plank assembly having a FC siding that was engaged against an adhesive to a plastic spline having a butt member and the lock is obtained.

Advantageously, the siding board assemblies of these embodiments provide a lightweight siding board assembly having a lower amount of FC material while maintaining a visually pleasing shadow line when installed. These embodiments also provide a low cost siding panel assembly with higher stiffness and strength that suppresses breakage and improves ease of handling and installation. This siding assembly is also suitable for blind nailing and can withstand large wind loads. This spline can also be easily manufactured from plastic to have minute details using extrusion and / or molding processes known in the art. The term plastic is a polymeric resin with suitable bending and tensile strengths for thermal deflection points well beyond the maximum thermal deflection points normally experienced in anticipated applications and building environments (about 40 ⁰ C to 60 ⁰ C). , Copolymers, and mixtures thereof. Such plastics include, but are not limited to, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyolefins, polyamide (nylon), and ABS. These plastics may include mineral fillers to reduce cost or reduce weight and improve strength or toughness properties. Alternatively, these plastics may contain fibers so as to improve the tensile strength. Plastic splines can be manufactured using lower plastics or recycled plastics so that further cost savings can be made without sacrificing the desired attributes.
A. Spline with Tilt Lock FIG. 33 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment siding assembly. The plank assembly 7400 includes a plank 7100 and a spline 7200. The plank 7100 is preferably a siding plate made of medium density FC material using a known Hatschek process. Spline 7200 is preferably a “butt-lock type” spline made of rigid plastic using a known extrusion process. The spline 7200 is aligned with the thick plate 7100 and fixedly connected to the thick plate 7100 with an adhesive (described in detail below).

  FIG. 34 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment FC panel. The thick plate 7100 is a siding plate including a thick plate top surface 7105 and a thick plate back surface 7120. The plank 7100 has a length “l”, a width “w”, a height “h”, and a flatness “t”. Examples of the dimensions of plank 7100 include “l” between about 12 feet (about 3.66 m) and 16 feet (about 4.88 m), about 3/16 inch (about 5.77 mm) to 1/2. "W" between inches (about 1.27 cm), "h" between about 5 inches (about 12.7 cm) and 12 inches (about 30.48 cm), and about 0 inches to 1/4 inches (about “T” between 6.35 mm). A cross-sectional view of plank 7100 is shown in FIG.

  35 is a cross-sectional view of the plank 7100 taken along line 35-35 in FIG. In this figure, additional details of plank 7100 are shown. The plank 7100 further includes a plank bottom surface 7110 and a plank surface 7115. A plank top surface 7105 and a plank back surface 7120 are also shown. The thick plate top surface 7105 is set at an angle “α” with respect to the thick plate surface 7115. The thick plate bottom surface 7110 is set at an angle “β” with respect to the thick plate surface 7115. In one example, “α” is 45 ° and “β” is 84 °. The angles “α” and “β” of the plank 7100 are cut using an inclined water jet cutter during a normal Hatschek manufacturing process. The preferred dimensions and angles of plank 7100 are shown in Table 5.

  FIG. 36 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment plastic lock spline. The spline 7200 includes a generally vertical plate 7205, a plate back surface 7210, a first flange 7215, a first flange top surface 7220, a second flange 7230, a third flange 7240, and a third It includes a flange top surface 7245 and a fourth flange. Spline 7200 has a length “l”, a width “w”, and a height “h”. Examples of the dimensions of the spline 7200 include "l" between about 12 feet (about 3.66 m) and 16 feet (about 4.88 m), about 3/8 inch (about 9.53 mm) to 3/4 inch. "W" between (about 1.91 cm) and "h" between about 1/2 inch (about 1.27 cm) and 2 inches (about 5.08 cm). A cross-sectional view of spline 7200 is shown in FIG.

  FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional view of spline 7200 taken along line 37-37 in FIG. In this figure, additional details of spline 7200 are shown. The spline 7200 further includes a first flange bottom surface 7225, a second flange surface 7235, a third flange bottom surface 7250, and a fourth flange surface 7260. Plate 7205, plate back surface 7210, first flange 7215, first flange top surface 7220, second flange 7230, third flange 7240, third flange top surface 7245, A fourth flange 7255 is also shown.

  A first edge of the first flange 7215 is integrally connected to the first edge of the elongated plate 7205 at an angle. The second edge of the elongate plate 7205 is integrally connected at an angle along the third flange 7240 between the first edge and the second edge of the third flange 7240. Yes. The first edge of the fourth flange 7260 is integrally connected to the second edge of the third flange 7240 in parallel with the plate 7202. The first edge of the second flange 7230 is integral with the plate 7205 parallel to the plate 7205 between the first and second edges of the first flange 7215 along the first flange 7215. It is connected to. The second flange 7230 and the fourth flange 7260 form the same plane.

  FIG. 38 is an end view of the spline 7200. The schematic dimensions and angles of a preferred embodiment of spline 7200 are shown in Table 6.

  FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view of plank assembly 7400 taken along line 39-39 in FIG. In this view, additional details of the slab assembly 7400 are shown. The plank assembly 7400 further includes a first adhesive layer 7410, a second adhesive layer 7420, and a third adhesive layer 7430. With continued reference to FIG. 39, the position of the spline 7200 relative to the plank 7100 is shown. The top surface 7220 of the first flange forms a landing adapted to support the bottom of the plank 7100 and is fixedly connected to the plank bottom surface 7110 by a first adhesive layer 7410. Second flange surface 7235 forms part of the landing and is fixedly connected to thick plate back surface 7120 by second adhesive layer 7420. The fourth flange surface 7260 is fixedly connected to the thick plate back surface 7120 by a third adhesive layer 7430. The third adhesive layer 7430 is formed so as to drain from the connecting portion.

Adhesive layers 7410, 7420, and 7430 have a viscosity of about 10,000 CPS to 100,000 CPS at application temperatures in the range of about 200 ⁰ F to 350 ⁰ F. B. Fuller 2570x or H.264. B. A fast cure reactive high temperature melt polyurethane such as Fuller 9570 is preferred. The adhesion time ranges from about 3 seconds to 5 seconds.

FIG. 40 shows the same elements as FIG. 39 with the addition of a chamfer 7450. The chamfered portion 7450 is disposed at an angle “ε” with respect to the thick plate surface 7115 and may be flat or slightly rounded. The angle “ε” is preferably in the range of about 30 ⁰ to 60 ⁰ . Still referring to FIG. 40, the chamfer 7450 is obtained by cutting or grinding the plank 7100, the first adhesive 7410, and the spline 7200 so that the three elements are “mixed”. The chamfer 7450 forms a smooth and visually pleasing roof girder for the plank assembly 7400 that is suitable for painting. Since the chamfer 7450 is exposed to the weather, the first adhesive 7410 acts as a seal between the plank 7100 and the spline 7200, blocking wind and moisture.

  FIG. 41 shows a preferred embodiment two-piece siding system. The siding system 7500 includes plank assemblies 7400A, 7400B, 7400C, and 7400D, a wall 7510, and nails 7520A, 7520B, and 7520C. Using known blind nail techniques, each nail is fixedly connected to wall 7510 using nails 7520A, 7520B, and 7520C (ie, each nail is a plank surface 7115 of plank 7100 (FIG. 35)). Through the plank top surface 7105).

  The bottom surface 7250 of the third flange and the thick plate back surface 7210 of the thick plate assembly 7400B are located in contact with the thick plate top surface 7105 and the thick plate surface 7115 of the thick plate assembly 7400A, respectively. Similarly, plank assemblies 7400C and 7400D are positioned to contact plank assemblies 7400B and 7400C, respectively.

  Another example of this embodiment is that plastic splines are placed on the top surface of the first flange, the surface of the second flange, and the surface of the fourth flange along the length of each surface, as described below. A two-piece siding assembly with plastic splines and locks with one or more extended slots.

FIG. 42A is a cross-sectional view of a spline 7200 having the aforementioned groove. The enlarged view of FIG. 42B shows one or more slots in the first flange top surface 7220, second flange surface 7235, and fourth flange surface 7260 of the spline 7200. Dovetail 7220 forms the mechanical junction with the adhesive junction between plank 7100 of plank assembly 7400 (FIG. 33). This is illustrated in FIGS. 43A and 43B.

FIG. 43A is a cross-sectional view of plank assembly 7400. FIG. The enlarged view of FIG. 43B shows the interface between the spline 7200 and the adhesive layer 7410, 7420, or 7430 and the plank 7100. FIG. 43B shows an adhesive layer 7410, 7420, or 7430 filling the groove of the spline 7200. Stress is induced in the adhesive layers 7410, 7420, and 7430 because the expansion attributes (temperature and moisture) of the plank 7100 and the spline 7200 are different. When the adhesive junction between the adhesive layer and the plastic spline has been broken for such stress, mechanical connection still remain by dovetail.

  Other examples of this embodiment do not have a lock and do not have an overlay guide (as formed by the third flange 7240 of FIG. 36) as shown in FIGS. 44A and 44B. A two-piece siding assembly using plastic splines, which may or may not have grooves. 44A and 44B illustrate a two-piece siding assembly 7600 and a siding system 7700, respectively. The thick plate 7610 is the same as the thick plate 7100 of FIG. 33 except that the thick plate top surface 7105 (FIG. 35) is not inclined. Spline 7620 is identical to spline 7200 of FIG. 33 except that third flange 7240 (FIG. 36) does not extend to form a locking mechanism. The siding system 7700 is assembled as shown in FIG. 44B, except that the slab gauge must be measured during the installation process. In this embodiment, a thick butt member (deep shadow line) is formed, but a natural overlay guide for installation is not formed.

  Another example of this embodiment is a two-piece siding panel assembly using plastic splines that does not have a lock and may or may not have a groove as shown in FIGS. 45A and 45B. is there. 45A and 45B show a two-piece siding assembly 7800 and siding system 7900, respectively. The plank 7810 is the same as the plank 7610 of FIG. 44A. Spline 7820 is similar to spline 7200 of FIG. 33 except that fourth flange 7255 (FIG. 36) is eliminated and third flange 7240 (FIG. 36) is shortened and tilted at approximately 90 °. is doing. This embodiment forms a thick butt (deep shadow line) and forms a natural overlay guide for installation, but does not deal with large wind loads.

Another example of this embodiment has been engaged against an adhesive to be plastic spline may not have a lock, two-piece thickness for siding applications using siding natural wood or engineered wood It is a board.

Figure 46 shows a flowchart 7950 of a method for manufacturing a two-piece plank assembly using the following things including, FC siding that was engaged against the plastic spline with adhesive.

  A plank is manufactured (7960). A thick plate is formed according to the conventional Hatschek method. During the conventional Hatschek manufacturing process, the top and bottom edges of the plank are cut at an angle using an inclined water jet cutter. The planks are precured according to conventional methods and then autoclaved. See Table 5 for the preferred range of plank dimensions.

Pretreatment of planks and splines (7970). Cut plank 7100 and plastic spline 7200 (formed according to Table 6) to the desired equal length. The surface of the plastic spline 7200 four pretreated with one of the methods to improve the adhesive junction performance. The four ways to pre-process the surface of plastic splines are:
Sanding using conventional power sanding tools,
Cleaning with a solvent such as isopropyl alcohol,
Exposure to an oxidative flame supplied with propane gas as fuel for about 0.5 to 4 seconds;
The above method is also a combination.

The plank and spline to junction (7980). The plank 7100 engaged against the plastic spline 7200 to form the plank assembly 7400 shown in Figure 33. A thick plate 7100 is placed on the first conveyor running at a speed of up to about 250 feet (min. 76.2 m) / min, and polymerized hot melt at a rate of about 1 g / ft per bead along the length of the plank Apply 3 beads of adhesive. Each bead is formed to align with first flange top surface 7220, second flange surface 7235, and fourth flange surface 7260 of spline 7200 (FIG. 37). Spline 7200 is placed on a second conveyor running at a speed of up to 250 feet / minute. The first and second conveyors route slab 7100 and spline 7200, respectively, to a common destination so that the spline is aligned with the slab, contacts the adhesive, and is sent to the “nip” machine. The rollers of the nip machine are set to the desired overall thickness of the slab assembly and compress the slab 7100 and spline 7200 together. The nip machine then sends the slab assembly 7400 to a press where a pressure of about 2 psi to 10 psi is applied for about 3 seconds to 5 seconds.

The plank assembly is completed (7990). Using a conventional cutting tool or grinding tool, the thick plate assembly 7400 is cut to a specified length to form a chamfered portion 7450 (FIG. 40).
B. The above embodiment using a spline “V” -shaped locking system with a square lock has a gage (a visible vertical distance between planks) and an overlap (vertical where the plank covers the plank below it) during installation. This allows the planks to be locked together without requiring a wide range of measurements to maintain the distance. Although the “V” shaped lock structure has a number of inherent advantages, this structure can be used by the installer, especially when trying to eliminate misalignment during framing and installation around windows and door openings. It doesn't work well when it gives the slightest change in gauge you want. If the fit is insufficient, the plank may later undergo lateral movement (flapping) when exposed to the wind. Rather, it is advantageous to have a locking structure that allows slight changes in the gauge while preventing lateral movement (flapping) when exposed to the wind.

  FIG. 47 is a perspective view of a siding board assembly of another embodiment of the present invention that solves these problems. The plank assembly 8400 includes a plank 8100 and a spline 8200. The plank 8100 is preferably a siding plate made of medium density FC material using a known Hatschek process. Other information regarding the manufacture of plank 8100 is described in Australian Patent No. AU515151.

  Spline 8200 is preferably a “butt-lock type” spline made of rigid plastic by extrusion. The spline 8200 is aligned with the thick plate 8100 (described in detail below), and is fixedly connected to the thick plate 8100 with an adhesive. FIG. 48 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment FC panel. The thick plate 8100 is a siding plate that includes a thick plate back surface 8120, a thick plate key 8125, a back surface 8135 of the thick plate key, and a nailing area 8145. The plank 8100 has a length “l”, a width “w”, and a height “h”. Examples of the dimensions of plank 8100 include “l” between about 12 feet (about 3.66 m) and 16 feet (about 4.88 m), about 3/16 inch (about 5.77 mm) to 1/2. "W" between inches (about 1.27 cm) and "h" between about 5 inches (about 12.7 cm) and 12 inches (about 30.48 cm). A cross-sectional view of plank 8100 is shown in FIG.

  49A is a cross-sectional view of plank 8100 taken along line 49-49 in FIG. In this view, additional elements of the plank 8100 are shown. The thick plate 8100 further includes a thick plate top surface 8105, a thick plate bottom surface 8110, a thick plate surface 8115, a thick plate key surface 8130, and a bevel edge 8140. Also shown are a thick plate back surface 8120, a thick plate key 8125, a thick plate key back surface 8135, and a nail area 8145.

  The plank top surface 8105 is set at an angle “α” with respect to the plank key surface 8130. The angle “α” of the thick plate 8100 is cut using an inclined water spray cutter during a normal Hatschek manufacturing process. The plank 8100 has a key depth “a”, a key height “b”, and a nailing area “c”.

  FIG. 49B is an enlarged view of the thick plate top surface 8105 along line 49B-49B. The plank top surface 8105 is not only set at an angle “d” relative to the plank key surface 8130 but also has a slope. This slope has a depth “e” and a height “f” from the back surface 8135 of the thick plate key. Preferred dimensions and angles of plank 8100 are shown in Table 7.

  FIG. 50 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment plastic lock spline. Spline 8200 includes plate 8205, plate back surface 8210, first flange 8215, first flange top surface 8220, second flange 8230, third flange 8240, fourth flange 8255, fifth flange 8265, and 5 flange back surface 8275. Spline 8200 has a length “l”, a width “w”, and a height “h”.

  51 is a cross-sectional view of spline 8200 taken along line 51-51 of FIG. In this figure, additional elements of spline 8200 are shown. Spline 8200 includes plank surface 8212, first flange bottom surface 8225, second flange bottom surface 8235, third flange top surface 8245, third flange bottom surface 8250, fourth flange surface 8260, and first flange surface 8260. 5 flange surfaces 8270. Plate 8205, plate back surface 8210, first flange 8215, first flange top surface 8220, second flange 8230, third flange 8240, fourth flange 8255, fifth flange 8265, and fifth flange Also shown is the back surface 8275. All elements are present along the entire length of spline 8200 as shown in FIG.

  The first edge of the first flange 8215 is integrally connected to the first edge of the plate 8205 extending from the plate surface 8212 so as to be orthogonal or inclined. The second edge of the plate 8205 extends along the third flange 8240 between the first and second edges of the third flange 8240 extending from the bottom surface 8250 of the third flange. , Inclined and integrally connected. The first edge of the fourth flange 8260 is integrally connected to the first edge of the third flange 8240 in parallel with the plate 8205 extending from the bottom surface 8250 of the third flange. The first edge of the second flange 8230 is parallel to the plate 8205 extending from the top surface 8220 of the first flange, and is between the first edge and the second edge of the first flange 8215. In between, they are integrally connected along the first flange 8215 so as to be orthogonal or inclined. The first edge of the fifth flange 8265 is integrally connected to the second edge of the third flange 8240 parallel to the plate 8205 extending from the bottom surface 8250 of the third flange.

  FIG. 52 is an end view of the spline 8200. Preferred dimensions and angles for spline 8200 are shown in Table 8 below.

  Note that there is no gap when h = e + f. The gap is provided to save material and eliminate the need for an extrusion mandrel to form the hollow, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process.

  53 is a cross-sectional view of the thick plate assembly 8400 of FIG. In this view, additional elements of the slab assembly 8400 are shown. The plank assembly 8400 further includes a first adhesive layer 8410, a second adhesive layer 8420, and a third adhesive layer 8430. With continued reference to FIG. 53, the position of spline 8200 relative to plank 8100 is shown. The top surface 8220 of the first flange is fixedly connected to the thick plate back surface 8110 with a first adhesive layer 8410. The surface 8235 of the second flange is fixedly connected to the thick plate back surface 8120 with a second adhesive layer 8420. The fourth flange surface 8260 is fixedly connected to the thick plate back surface 8210 by a third adhesive layer 8430.

Adhesive layers 8410, 8420, and 8430 have a viscosity of about 10000 CPS to 100,000 CPS at application temperatures in the range of about 200 ⁰ F to 350 ⁰ F. B. Fuller 2570x or H.264. B. A fast curing reactive high temperature melted polyurethane such as Fuller 9570 or PURMELT R-382-22 is preferred. The adhesion time ranges from about 3 seconds to 5 seconds. FIG. 54 shows the same elements as FIG. 53 with a chamfer 8450 added. The chamfered portion 8450 is disposed at an angle “ε” with respect to the plank surface 8115 and may be flat or slightly rounded. The angle “ε” is preferably in the range of about 15 ⁰ to 85 ⁰ . An example of an angle "ε" is about 45 ^0.

  With continued reference to FIG. 54, the chamfer 8450 is obtained by cutting or grinding the plank 8100, the first adhesive 8410, and the spline 8200 so that the three elements are “mixed”. The chamfer 8450 forms a smooth, visually pleasing roof girder for the plank assembly 8400 that is suitable for painting. Since the chamfer 8450 is exposed to the weather, the first adhesive 8410 acts as a seal between the slab 8100 and the spline 8200, blocking wind and moisture.

  FIG. 55 shows a preferred embodiment two-piece siding system. The siding system 8500 includes plank assemblies 8400A and 8400B, a wall 8510, a wall outer surface 8515, and a nail 8520. The plank assembly 8400A includes a plank 8100A and splines (not shown). The plank assembly 8400B includes a plank 8100B and a spline 8200B.

  The plank assembly 8400A uses a blind nailing technique to pass the nails 8520 through the plank surface 8115 of the plank 8100 (FIG. 54) and directly under the plank area 8115 (FIG. 49A). By being driven into 8145, it is fixedly connected to wall 8510. The thick plate back surface 8210 (FIG. 50) of the spline 8200B is in contact with the thick plate key front surface 8130 (FIG. 49A) of the thick plate 8100A. The surface 8270 (FIG. 51) of the fifth flange of the spline 8200B is in contact with the back surface 8135 (FIG. 48) of the plank key of the plank 8100A. There is a small gap in the range of about 0.0 inch to 0.125 inch (about 3.18 mm) between the back surface 8275 (FIG. 51) of the fifth flange of the spline 8200B and the wall outer surface 8515. The beveled edge 8140 (FIG. 49A) of each plank assembly allows for easy installation of plank assemblies.

  When the slab assembly 8400A and slab assembly 8400B of the siding system 8500 are fitted together, the bottom surface 8250 (FIG. 51) of the third flange of the spline 8200B is the slab top surface 8105 (FIG. 49A) of the slab 8100A. ). However, when the slab assembly 8400A and slab assembly 8400B of the siding system 8500 are loosely mated, the bottom surface 8250 (FIG. 51) of the third flange of the spline 8200B is the slab top surface 8105 (FIG. 51) of the slab 8100A. 49A), leaving a gap “y”, preferably in the range of about 0.0 inch to 0.25 inch (about 6.35 mm). Time “y” facilitates flattening of the plank assembly during installation. Whether it is a snug-fitting siding system or a loose-fitting siding system, the plastic spline of the preferred embodiment prevents the plank assembly 8400 from moving laterally during installation.

  In another example of this embodiment, one or more plastic splines extend along the length of each surface, as described above, to the top surface of the second plate and the surface of the third plate. There are two-piece siding assemblies with plastic splines and square locks.

  Another example of this embodiment is a two-piece siding plate having a plastic spline and a square lock, the plastic spline having a capillary break extending along the length of this surface, as described below, on the back surface of the first plate. There is an assembly.

  Another example of this embodiment is a two-piece siding plank having plastic splines and square locks, wherein the siding planks are made of any suitable material including but not limited to wood, processed wood, or composite wood plastic There is a solid.

  Another example of this embodiment is a one-piece molded siding board or one-piece extruded siding board having the same cross-sectional shape as the two-piece siding board assembly of the first embodiment and having the same function as this siding board assembly. In this example, the one-piece siding is formed using a variable component fiber cementitious structure product formed by conventional co-extrusion methods or co-extrusion.

  Another example of this embodiment is a one-piece siding board having the same cross-sectional shape as the two-piece siding board assembly of the above-described embodiment and having the same function as this siding board assembly. In this embodiment, the one-piece siding is filed on Oct. 9, 2001, and is assigned to Applicant's skin as described in pending US application Ser. No. 09/973844, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Formed using core technology.

  FIG. 56 illustrates a method of manufacturing a two-piece plank assembly using FC siding plates bonded to plastic splines with an adhesive, including:

  A plank is produced (8960). A medium density plate is prepared according to the conventional Hatschek method. By placing a sleeve having a contour offset thickness equal to the key depth “a” on the size roller of the Hatschek machine for a distance equal to the key height “b” and the nailing area “c”, A thick plate key 8125 and a nailing area 8145 (FIG. 48) are formed. As a result, the FC green sheet rests on the sleeve that creates an offset between the plank key 8125 and the nailing area 8145. Alternatively, the plank key 8125 and the nailing area 8145 are formed by contoured press rollers that can apply a pressure of about 200 psi to 500 psi to form these areas. During the conventional Hatschek manufacturing process, the top and bottom edges of the thick plate are cut using an inclined water jet cutter. The planks are precured according to conventional methods and then autoclaved. Refer to Table 7 above for the allowable range of the thickness of this embodiment.

Pretreatment of planks and splines (8970). Slab 8100 and spline 8200 (formed according to Table 8) are cut to the desired equal length as shown in FIGS. 49A and 50, respectively. The surface of the plastic spline 8200 (i.e., the first flange top surface 8220, the second flange surface 8235, and the fourth flange surface 8260) is pretreated in one of four ways to provide an adhesive. improve the junction performance. There are four ways to pre-treat the surface of plastic splines:
1. Sanding that roughs the surface using conventional power sanding tools,
2. Cleaning with a solvent such as isopropyl alcohol,
3. Exposure to an oxidative flame supplied with propane gas as fuel for about 0.5 to 4 seconds;
4). The above methods are also a combination.

The plank and spline to junction (8980). The plank 8100 engaged against the plastic spline 8200 to form the plank assembly 8400 shown in FIG. 47. A thick plate 8100 is placed on a first conveyor that travels at a speed of up to about 250 feet (minutes) and has a viscosity of about 10,000 CPS to 100,000 CPS at application temperatures in the range of about 200 ° F. to 350 ° F. Apply to three beads of polymerized hot melt adhesive at a rate of about 1 g / ft per bead along the length of the plank. These beads are formed to align with the top surface 8220 of the first flange, the second flange surface 8235, and the fourth flange surface 8260 of the spline 8200 (FIG. 51). Similarly, spline 8200 is placed on a second conveyor that travels at a speed equal to that of the first conveyor. The first and second conveyors route the plank 8100 and spline 8200 to a common destination, respectively, so that the spline 8200 is aligned with the plank 8100, contacts the adhesive, and is sent to the “nip” machine. The rollers of the nip machine are set to the desired total thickness of the plank assembly and compress the plank 8100 and spline 8200 together. The nip machine then sends the slab assembly 8400 to a press where a pressure of about 10 psi to 100 psi is applied for about 3 to 5 seconds.

  The plank assembly is completed (8990). Using a conventional cutting tool or grinding tool, the thick plate assembly 8400 is cut to a specified length to form a chamfered portion 7450 (FIG. 54).

Advantageously, the siding board assembly of this embodiment allows slight fluctuations of the installed siding board while suppressing lateral movement (flapping) when exposed to wind. This assembly also allows the planks to be flat when installed and the locks and keys can be formed without machining. This locking system is easy to install and does not require the top plate angle to match the angle of the fourth plate of the spline.
C. Apparatus for reducing capillary action between planks In another embodiment, an apparatus for reducing capillary action is provided in the overlap region between two medium density FC or other siding assemblies during installation. An example is a plastic spline having a capillary break formed by adding a lip along the length of the spline as described below.

  Conventional external siding systems also include a “rain screen” which is a combination of an airtight and watertight barrier and siding disposed on the outer surface of the frame on which the siding is provided. The functional purpose of this siding is to prevent moisture from hitting the inner barrier surface of the rainscreen. FC material, wood, or vinyl rain screen siding is a series of horizontal “slabs” that overlap at the upper edge to prevent wind and rain from penetrating the inside of the rain screen. Rain screen paneling systems, when properly installed, keep wall frames and insulation very effective in dry and airtight conditions under all weather conditions.

  When the siding board is installed on the outer wall of the building, moisture can enter a narrow space where the siding boards overlap each other. Most of the moisture does not enter due to gravity, but the width of the gap in the overlap area can usually cause capillary action and the moisture can reach up to the rainscreen inner barrier, or at least between the outer barrier and siding. Small enough to allow penetration into space. As a result, the wrapped siding material is not completely effective as a water barrier.

  Increasing the gap between the siding materials during installation reduces the effect of capillary action, but the siding tends to penetrate moisture blown by the wind. Therefore, a siding panel assembly that prevents penetration of water due to rain and capillary action while preventing penetration by wind when installed is advantageous. There is a need for a wrap siding structure that forms a capillary break that stops the rise of water between the two surfaces in the plank overlap region.

  Advantageously, the siding plate assembly of this embodiment inhibits capillary action within the siding plate, thus protecting the outer barrier wall and the inside of the siding plate from moisture while better preventing windy moisture from penetrating. To do. In addition, the assembly keeps the nailing area relatively dry, thereby increasing the strength of the fiber cement and thus withstands the movement of planks by strong winds. Another way to solve this problem is to seal the space between the planks with coke or other type of sealant. However, this makes the outer wall system more complex. Alternatively, gaps or grooves can be machined along the length of the planks in the overlap region. However, this will create a weak spot in the plank and add to the manufacturing process.

  FIG. 57 is a perspective view of a siding assembly having a two-piece plank with a plastic spline that includes a tilt lock as described above. The plank assembly 9400 includes a plank 9100 and a spline 9200. Thick plate 9100 is preferably a siding plate made of medium density FC material using a known Hatschek process. The spline 9200 is a “butt-lock type” spline made of rigid plastic using the known extrusion process described above. The spline 9200 is aligned with the thick plate 9100 as described above, and is fixedly connected to the thick plate 9100 with an adhesive. As shown in FIG. 57, the spline 9200 of this embodiment further includes a capillary break 9265 that extends along the length of the spline 9200.

  FIG. 58 is a perspective view of a plastic spline having a capillary break of a preferred embodiment. The spline 9200 includes a plate 9205, a plate back surface 9210, a first flange 9215, a second flange 9230, a third flange 9240, and a fourth flange 9255. A capillary break 9265 in the form of a lip extending along the length of the plate back surface 9210 along the lower edge is also shown.

  The spline 9200 has a length “l”, a width “w”, and a height “h”. Examples of the dimensions of the spline 9200 include "l" between about 12 feet (about 3.66 m) and 16 feet (about 4.88 m), about 3/8 inch (about 9.53 mm) to 3/4 inch. "W" between (about 1.91 cm) and "h" between about 1/2 inch (about 1.27 cm) and 2 inches (about 5.08 cm). A cross-sectional view and an end view of the spline 9200 are shown in FIGS. 59 and 60, respectively.

  59 is a cross-sectional view of spline 9200 taken along line 59-59 in FIG. Spline 9200 further includes a third flange bottom surface 9250. Also shown are plate 9205, plate back surface 9210, first flange 9215, second flange 9230, third flange 9240, fourth flange 9255, and capillary break 9265.

  The first edge of the first flange 9215 is integrally and obliquely connected to the first edge of the elongated plate 9205. A second edge of the elongated plate 9205 is integrally connected obliquely and integrally along the third flange 9240 between the first edge and the second edge of the third flange 9240. . The first edge of the fourth flange 9255 is integrally connected to the second edge of the third flange 9240 in parallel with the plate 9205. A first edge of the second flange 9230 is integrated along the first flange 9215 between the first edge and the second edge of the first flange 9215 parallel to the plate 9205. Connected. The second flange 9230 and the fourth flange 9255 form the same plane. In addition, material has been added so that the first edge of the first flange 9215 is extended and does not form the same plane as the plate back surface 9210 and thus forms a capillary break 9265.

  FIG. 60 is an end view of spline 9200 showing the approximate dimensions. Preferred dimensions and angles for spline 9200 are shown in Table 9 below.

  Note that there is no gap when h = e + f. The gap is provided to save material.

  FIG. 61 shows the two-piece siding system described above. The siding system 9500 includes plank assemblies 9400A and 9400B. The plank assembly 9400B is located in contact with the plank assembly 9400A. Specifically, the bottom surface 9250 (FIG. 59) of the third flange is in contact with the top of the plank assembly 9400A, and the capillary break 9265 is in contact with the plank surface 9115 of the plank assembly 9400A. As a result, a gap is obtained above the capillary break 9265 between the thick plate back surface 9210 of the thick plate assembly 9400B and the thick plate surface 9115 of the thick plate assembly 9400A. The resulting gap is equal to the dimension “f” of the spline 9200 extending along the length of the siding system 9500.

  The capillary break 9265 of this embodiment forms a gap equal to the dimension “f” of the spline 9200 that prevents capillary action between the plank assembly 9400A and plank assembly 9400B. At the same time, the capillary break 9265 of the preferred embodiment is such that the capillary break 9265 directly contacts the plank surface 9115 and the bottom surface 9250 (FIG. 59) of the third flange contacts the top of the plank assembly 9400A. A wind barrier is maintained between assembly 9400A and plank assembly 9400B.

  Another example of this embodiment shown in FIG. 62 is a plastic spline having capillary breaks formed by adding grooves along the length of the spline as described above. When this spline is extruded, the wall thickness is kept constant and capillary breaks are formed by hemispherical depressions on the back of the plate and hemispherical protrusions on the surface of the plate.

  FIG. 62 is a perspective view of a plastic spline having a capillary break of this embodiment. The spline 9300 includes a plate 9305, a plate back surface 9310, a first flange 9315, a second flange 9330, a third flange 9340, and a fourth flange 9355. A capillary break 9365 in the form of a groove extending along the length of the plate back surface 9310 is also shown. The spline 9300 has a length “l”, a width “w”, and a height “h”. Examples of the dimensions of spline 9300 are "l" between about 12 feet (16.66 m) and 16 feet (about 4.88 m), about 3/8 inch (about 9.53 mm) to 3/4 inch ( "W" between about 1.91 cm) and "h" between about 1/2 inch (about 1.27 cm) and 2 inches (about 5.08 cm). A cross-sectional view and an end view of the spline 9300 are shown in FIGS. 63 and 64, respectively.

  63 is a cross-sectional view of spline 9300 taken along line 63-63 of FIG. Spline 9300 further includes a third flange bottom surface 9350 and a plate surface 9370. Also shown are plate 9305, plate back surface 9310, first flange 9315, second flange 9330, third flange 9340, fourth flange 9355, and capillary break 9365. The first edge of the first flange 9315 is inclined and integrally connected to the first edge of the elongated plate 9305. The second edge of the elongate plate 9305 is integrally connected at an angle along the third flange 9340 between the first edge and the second edge of the third flange 9340. Yes. The first edge of the fourth flange 9360 is integrally connected to the second edge of the third flange 9340 parallel to the plate 9305. The first edge of the second flange 9330 is integrated along the first flange 9315 between the first edge and the second edge of the first flange 9315 parallel to the plate 9305. Connected. The second flange 9330 and the fourth flange 9360 form the same plane. Between the first edge and the second edge of the plate 9305, along the length of the plate 9305, the material dents hemispherically along the length of the plate back surface 9310, and the material is plate surface 9370. Projecting along the length of the tube, thus forming a capillary break 9365.

  FIG. 64 is an end view of the spline 9300. Preferred dimensions and angles for spline 9300 are shown in Table 10 below.

  FIG. 65 shows a preferred embodiment two-piece siding system. The siding system 9600 includes plank assemblies 9400C and 9400D. The plank assembly 9400D is positioned to contact the plank assembly 9400C. Specifically, the bottom surface 9350 (FIG. 63) of the third flange contacts the top of the thick plate assembly 9400C, and the plate back surface 9310 (FIG. 63) is the thick plate surface 9115 (FIG. 61) of the thick plate assembly 9400C. Touching. As a result, a gap is formed by the presence of the capillary break 9365 between the plate rear surface 9310 of the thick plate assembly 9400D and the thick plate surface 9115 of the thick plate assembly 9400C. The resulting gap extending along the length of the siding system 9600 has a depth approximately equal to the dimension “f” of the spline 9300 and a width approximately equal to the dimension “g” of the spline 9300.

The capillary break 9365 of this embodiment forms a gap equal to the dimension “f” of the spline 9300 that prevents capillary action between the plank assembly 9400C and plank assembly 9400D. At the same time, the capillary break 9365 of the present invention maintains a wind barrier between the plank assembly 9400C and the plank assembly 9400D because the plate back surface 9310 is in direct contact with the plate surface 9115.
VI. In another embodiment , a fiber cement product having a local reinforcement mechanism and a method of manufacturing the same has a local reinforcement member, and in one embodiment, for use in combination with a system of FC planks for siding applications. A fiber cement product is provided. This results in a locally reinforced FC plank assembly having fiber cement products with local reinforcement members that improve the strength of the individual FC siding planks.

  Advantageously, the siding board assemblies of these embodiments provide a lightweight siding board assembly having a lower amount of FC material without compromising the strength of the planks. By adding local reinforcement members, a low cost siding panel assembly with greater stiffness and strength is achieved that reduces breakage and improves ease of handling and installation. This siding assembly is also suitable for blind nailing and can withstand large wind loads.

  FIG. 66 is a cross-sectional view of a reinforced fiber cement product 10000 that includes a fiber cement product 11000, a reinforcing fixture 13000, and a high shear adhesive layer 12000 located between the fiber cement product 11000 and the reinforcing fixture 13000. is there.

  Fiber cement product 11000 is manufactured in accordance with the methods described in Australian Patent No. AU515151 “Fiber Reinforced Cementitios Articles” and US Pat. No. 8,346,146, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. can do. However, fiber cement products manufactured by other means including but not limited to Hatschek process, Bison process, filter compression molding, flow-on process, Mazza process, Magnani process, roll forming, or extrusion molding. It will be appreciated that it can be used in this embodiment.

  High shear adhesive layer 1200 is preferably an adhesive having high shear strength, good alkali resistance, durability in exterior coating applications, and fast cure performance. It is also preferred that the adhesive have sufficient working time or “open” time to allow sufficient penetration into the fiber cement substrate. The adhesive also preferably maintains its adhesive properties when subjected to multiple heating and cooling cycles and / or wet and dry cycles. One method for assessing the suitability of such adhesives is the “peel test” known in the art, which measures the retention of peel strength after being subjected to several cycles of wet and dry cycles and / or heating and cooling cycles. Is to do. Adhesives with durability and high shear strength, for example, high temperature melt polyethylene adhesives such as Henkel Puremelt 243, high temperature melt polyamide adhesives such as Henkel Micromelt 6239, 6238, 6211, high temperature melt modified ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) such as Reicholdt 2H850 It is preferable to use it.

  The preferred options listed above for the high shear strength adhesive layer 12000 are after 5 wet / dry cycles immersed in a 60 ° F. saturated CaO (alkaline) solution or 25 repeated soak / freeze / thaw cycles. It has other properties to resist adhesive peeling.

  The reinforced fixture 13000 is preferably made of any common engineering material having a tensile strength that is significantly higher than the tensile strength of the fiber cement product 11000. More preferably, the reinforcing fixture is made of a non-rigid material. Preferred materials for the reinforced fixture 13000 include polymer films and woven polymer cloth nets, including but not limited to metal foils, woven metal nets, stretched metal nets having sufficient shape and dimensions suitable for the application. And other materials having a relatively high tensile strength, such as non-woven polymer fabric nets.

  As shown in FIG. 66, both the high durability and high shear strength adhesive layer 12000 and the reinforcing fixture 13000 are placed on one side of the fiber cement product 110000 and the length of the fiber cement product 11000 is shown. And aligned along the width. When handling the reinforced fiber cement product 10000, the tensile stress generated by bending the fiber cement product 11000 is transmitted to the reinforcing fixture 13000 through the high shear adhesive layer 12000.

  Reinforcing fixture 13000 is attached to both sides of fiber cement product 11000 to have the high shear adhesive layer 12000, even when attached to both sides of the fiber cement product 11000, to cope with the stresses expected when using and applying fiber cement product 11000. It may be attached to a plurality of areas.

  Reinforcing fixtures 13000 and high durability and high shear strength adhesive layers 12000 can be used to reinforce unstable areas such as panels, roofing or shingles, tiles, slate, planks, and hollow or solid You may attach to fiber cement shapes other than a flat board, including but not limited to extruded shapes. Thus, it will be appreciated that the reinforcing fixture described herein is not limited to siding.

  While the reinforcing fixture 13000 is shown as a flat sheet in FIG. 66, the reinforcing fixture 13000 identifies the fiber cement product 11000 when attached to the fiber cement product 13000 with a high durability, high shear adhesive 12000. It may have any three-dimensional shape necessary to sufficiently reinforce the region. The dimensions and shape of the reinforced fixture 13000 are determined by analyzing the stress of the fiber cement product 11000 under specific loading conditions using any number of methods known in the art, including finite element analysis. be able to.

  One method of evaluating the relative stiffness of a reinforced fiber cement product 10000 is a “barrel test” that measures the ability of a plank to self-support when the plank is held parallel to the ground. In the barrel test, a plank is placed flat and balanced on the outer periphery of a barrel placed parallel to the ground. If the plank has not broken after a predetermined time, the amount of deflection from the horizontal is measured to compare the relative stiffness of the various plank structures and materials. Table 11 shows the relative performance in a barrel test of fiber cement planks manufactured according to the embodiments described herein.

  FIGS. 67, 68, and 69 below show examples of fiber cement building products that incorporate reinforced fiber cement products 10,000.

  FIG. 67 is a front perspective view of a reinforced fiber cement plank having a nail skirt 20000 that includes a fiber cement product 11000, a high shear adhesive layer 12000, and a metal or plastic nail skirt 23000. The nailing skirt 23000 serves as a reinforcing fixture 13000 in this application and is preferably attached to the fiber cement product 11000 in the manner described with reference to the reinforcing fixture 13000. Nail skirt 23000 serves as a nailing area for attaching fiber cement product 11000 to the outside of the building and is thick enough to support fiber cement product 11000 when fiber cement product 11000 is so installed. have. The nailing through the nailing skirt 23000 reduces the amount of overlap required between the sidings. The rigidity of the nail skirt 23000 can also withstand wind lift when the plank is blind nail.

  FIG. 68 is a rear perspective view of a reinforced fiber cement plank having an extruded polymer reinforcement strip 30000 that includes a fiber cement product 11000, a high shear adhesive layer 12000, and a three-dimensional reinforcing fixture 33000. The three-dimensional reinforcement fixture 33000 serves as the reinforcement fixture 13000 in this application and is attached to the fiber cement product 11000 in the manner described with reference to the reinforcement fixture 13000. The three-dimensional reinforcing fixture 33000 serves to reinforce the thick plates and also serves as a spacer between the thick plates when several thick plates are installed on the wall. By providing the function of a spacer, the reinforcing fixture 33000 forms a visually pleasing shadow line when several planks are installed on the wall.

  FIG. 69 is a rear perspective view of a multi-wrap fiber cement slab 40000 that includes two or more fiber cement products 11000 joined together in a stacked manner and bonded with a high shear adhesive layer 12000.

  FIG. 70 illustrates a method 50000 for manufacturing a fiber cement product with a locally reinforced fixture, including:

  A reinforcing fixture is constructed (51000). The stress on the fiber cement product in the intended application of the fiber cement product is analyzed to determine the shape, size, and appropriate material of the reinforcing fixture. Analysis and configuration is performed using methods known in the art, such as conventional bending moment analysis and finite element analysis.

  Reinforcing fixtures are manufactured (52000). Reinforcing fixture 13000 is manufactured using known methods suitable for the structure and materials produced in step 51000. For example, if the reinforcing fixture 13000 is a metal foil of a specific shape, a mold is manufactured using a known method, and this shape is mechanically punched from a roll of aluminum foil of a specific thickness.

An adhesive is applied to the product surface (53000). By applying a predetermined amount of a high durability / high shear strength adhesive at a predetermined position on the surface of the fiber cement product 11000, a high shear strength adhesive layer 12000 having a predetermined thickness is formed. The high shear strength adhesive layer 12000 is preferably applied at a temperature in the range of about 200 ⁰ F to 400 ⁰ F so that the viscosity of the adhesive allows the adhesive to penetrate the fiber cement surface sufficiently at the application temperature. . High durability, high shear strength adhesives should ideally have an action (open) time of between about 30 seconds and 60 seconds before curing. The adhesive can be applied using any kind of commonly used high temperature melt application equipment such as roll coaters, curtain coaters, hot glue guns.

  A reinforcing fixture is attached to the product surface (55000). Reinforcement fixture 13000 is attached to fiber cement product 11000 by manual or mechanical means such that the attachment point is high shear adhesive layer 12000 applied in steps 53000 and / or 54000.

  Pressure the reinforcing fixture and product (56000). Uniform pressure is applied to the fiber cement product 11000 and the reinforcing fixture 13000 to bond the reinforcing fixture 13000 to the fiber cement product 11000. In the example of a reinforced fiber cement plank with a nailing skirt 2000, the roller is 3 pounds per linear inch (25 pounds for an 8.25 inch plank width). The pressure is applied by passing the fiber cement product 11000 and the reinforcing fixture 13000 through the nip of the pressure roller at the same time so that the pressure of (about 11.35 kg) is uniformly applied. Other mechanical means can be used to apply pressure to more complex shaped assemblies.

The adhesive is cured (57000). The fiber cement product 11000 and the reinforcing fixture 13000 are held in place at a given pressure and temperature for a given time to be permanently bonded. The required pressure, time, and temperature are determined by the properties of the high shear adhesive used and the line speed of the manufacturing process. In the example of reinforced fiber cement plank with nail skirt 20000, hot melt polyethylene adhesive is applied at 250 ⁰ F, each element is assembled within 60 seconds, and the plank is momentarily compressed using a pressure nip roll Mold.

  The fiber cement product is removed from the press (58000). The finished reinforced fiber cement product 10000 is removed from the press using manual or mechanical means.

  The above-described local reinforcement embodiments advantageously handle thin fiber cement slabs or other products by having a thin lightweight slab or product having the same stiffness as a much thicker dense slab or product. Improve ease. By using local reinforcing members that are tightly bonded to specific parts of the fiber cement product, the stiffness, bending strength, and / or impact strength of the fiber cement product is improved, and the fiber cement is It can be used in applications that were not previously suitable due to its vulnerability. The fiber cement siding panel formed as described above can handle large wind loads when blind nailed, and allows the amount of overlap between fiber cement planks to be maintained while maintaining a firm attachment. Can be minimized. Products made according to the above-described method are more resistant to adhesive peeling after being subjected to wet / dry cycles, alkaline solution corrosion, or immersion / freezing / thawing cycles. In addition, by using a local reinforcement member that is tightly bonded to a specific part of the textile product, less fiber cement material and / or lower density fiber cement plank can be used for a given application. Such a product can be configured. In the above-described embodiment using a fiber-cement plank lined with foil, such plank can reflect heat from the building, thereby cooling the building even in hot weather.

In other embodiments, the problem of applying local reinforcement to the fiber cement product can be solved by embedding a reinforcing fixture within the fiber cement product while the fiber cement product is in the green or plastic state. It is preferable to select a reinforcing fixture that can withstand the high temperature of the curing process of the fiber cement product so as not to lose its effectiveness.
CONCLUSION Certain preferred embodiments of the present invention provide an effective construction for a lightweight fiber cement siding panel assembly having a conventional deep shadow line. In particular, deep shadow lines are formed without the need to machine the siding or otherwise remove the siding material. Not only that, the siding is formed by adding material to a relatively thin starting base siding rather than removing material from the thick rectangular portion as shown in the prior art. In addition, the adhesive composition of the preferred embodiment can be used to securely and quickly bond two FC material members. For this reason, a thin and light thick plate can be used as a siding plate material for forming a thick shadow line.

  Furthermore, the siding board assembly of a preferred embodiment allows each slab to be installed quickly and easily, with a constant gauge plank train along the length of the siding plank and between the siding planks. A meshing mechanism for maintaining is provided. This siding board assembly can be installed flexibly due to the variable gauge height. The siding board assembly uses gravity to help fit the two planks snugly and uniformly without face staking.

  In addition, certain preferred embodiments of the present invention improve the manageability and strength of thin fiber cement planks by having a thin lightweight plank with the same stiffness as a much thicker and denser plank. be able to. This is preferably achieved by reinforcing certain parts of the fiber cement product with a reinforcing fixture. Locally reinforced products have the advantage of realizing a low cost product that can be handled well when installed and when subjected to wind loads. Reinforced products can also reflect heat while minimizing the amount of overlap between fiber cement planks while maintaining a firm attachment.

  Although the foregoing invention has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the disclosure herein. Accordingly, the invention is not limited by reference to the preferred embodiments, but only by reference to the appended claims.

It is a perspective view of one Embodiment of FC paneling which a back surface can be seen. It is a perspective view of FC siding board which the surface can be seen. It is an end view of FC paneling. It is a figure which shows the siding board system of the FC siding board attached to the attachment surface. FIG. 2 shows a method for installing a siding system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the cross section of FC plank by other embodiment of this invention. FIG. 6 is an end view of an extrusion mold used to form the thick plate of FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a siding system according to the embodiment of FIG. 5 attached to a mounting surface. It is a perspective view of the section of FC plank by other embodiments of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the two-piece FC plank by other embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the two-piece FC plank of FIG. 9A. FIG. 9B is a side view of the first end of the butt member used to form the plank of FIG. 9A. FIG. 9B is a perspective view of the two-piece plank of FIG. 9A formed using a pressure roller system. FIG. 11B is an end view of the two-piece plank and pressure roller system of FIG. 11A. It is a figure which shows one method of manufacturing a two-piece plank. It is a figure which shows the other method of manufacturing a two-piece plank. It is a perspective view of the two-piece plank formed using a hand roller. FIG. 14B is an end view of the two-piece plank and hand roller of FIG. 14A. It is a figure which shows the method of manufacturing a two-piece plank board assembly using an adhesive agent. It is a figure which shows the method of manufacturing the cementitious adhesive which couple | bonds FC material. FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a Hobart type low shear mixer including an adhesive composition according to the method of FIG. FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a Hobart type low shear mixer including an adhesive composition according to the method of FIG. It is a figure which shows the spin-drying | dehydration apparatus containing the mesh screen and metal plate by the method of FIG. FIG. 17 illustrates a high shear mixer including an adhesive composition according to the method of FIG. It is a fragmentary perspective view of the two-piece FC plank assembly by other embodiment of this invention. Is a partial perspective view of a two-piece FC plank assembly was allowed to 90 ⁰ rotated from Figure 20A. FIG. 20B is a side view of the thick plate assembly of FIG. 20A. FIG. 20B is a cross-sectional view of the two installed plank assemblies of FIG. 20A. It is a figure which shows the method of installing the thick board assembly of FIG. 20A. It is a perspective view of other embodiment of FC plank assembly. It is sectional drawing of the thick board assembly of FIG. It is a figure which shows the key front-end | tip of FC board assembly of FIG. It is an expanded sectional view of the lock assembly on the FC plank assembly of FIG. FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view of the lock assembly of FIG. 27 having schematic dimensions. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the lock assembly and key of two adjacent FC plank assemblies. FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of a siding system composed of a two-piece plank with an oversized “V” shaped lock and a compressible region according to FIG. FIG. 25 illustrates a method of manufacturing the plank of FIG. 24 with an oversized “V” shaped lock and a compressible region. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a plank structure that can utilize first and second compressible regions. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a plank structure that can utilize first and second compressible regions. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a siding assembly having lock splines according to another embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the thick board of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the thick board of FIG. It is a perspective view of the lock spline of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the lock spline of FIG. FIG. 34 is an end view of the lock spline of FIG. 33 having schematic dimensions. It is sectional drawing of the siding board assembly of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the other siding board assembly which has the lock spline which has a chamfer. FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view of the two-piece siding system of FIG. 33 attached to a mounting surface. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a plastic spline having a capillary break and a groove. FIG. 42B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the surface of the spline of FIG. 42A having a groove. FIG. 42B is a cross-sectional view of the spline of FIG. 42A coupled to a main plank. FIG. 43B is a cross-sectional view of the joint between the spline of FIG. 43A and the main plank. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a two-piece siding panel assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 44B is a cross-sectional view of the two-piece siding system of FIG. 44A attached to a mounting surface. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a two-piece siding panel assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 45B is a cross-sectional view of the siding system of FIG. 45A attached to a mounting surface. FIG. 5 shows method steps for manufacturing a two-piece plank assembly using FC siding plates secured to a plastic spline with an adhesive. 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a siding board assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a perspective view of the thick board of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the thick board of FIG. FIG. 49B is a side view of the key tip of FIG. 49A. 48 is a perspective view of the lock spline of FIG. 47. FIG. It is sectional drawing of the lock spline of FIG. FIG. 52 is an end view of the lock spline of FIG. 50 having schematic dimensions. It is sectional drawing of the siding board assembly of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the other siding board assembly which has a chamfer. FIG. 48 is a cross-sectional view of the two-piece siding system of FIG. 47 attached to a mounting surface. FIG. 6 illustrates a method for manufacturing a two-piece siding board assembly using FC siding boards bonded to plastic splines by an adhesive. 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a siding board assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 58 is a perspective view of a plastic spline having the capillary break of FIG. 57. FIG. 59 is a cross-sectional view of the spline of FIG. 58. FIG. 59 is a cross-sectional view of the spline of FIG. 58 having schematic dimensions. FIG. 58 is a cross-sectional view of a two-piece siding system showing the adjacent siding assemblies formed by FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a plastic spline having a capillary break. FIG. 63 is an end view of the spline of FIG. 62. FIG. 63 is an end view of the spline of FIG. 62. FIG. 63 is a cross-sectional view of a two-piece siding system showing adjacent sidings formed using the splines of FIG. 62. It is sectional drawing of the reinforced fiber cement product. 1 is a front perspective view of a reinforced fiber cement plank having a nail skirt. FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a reinforced fiber cement plank having an extruded polymer reinforcing strip. FIG. It is a back perspective view of a multi-wrap fiber cement plank. It is a figure which shows the method of manufacturing the reinforced fiber cement product.

Claims (63)

A main plank portion having a fiber cement having a length, a width, and a thickness, having a front surface and a back surface, a top surface and a bottom surface, and an upper end portion and a lower end portion;
A second member bonded to the main plank portion and having a length, width, thickness, surface, back surface, top surface, and bottom surface , wherein the bottom surface is away from the surface of the second member A second member having a flange extending forwardly to
At least a part of the front surface of the second member is bonded to the lower end portion of the main thick plate portion along the back surface of the main thick plate portion.   2. The siding plate according to claim 1, wherein the second member is bonded to the main thick plate portion so that the back surface of the main thick plate portion is parallel to the front surface of the second member.   2. The siding plate according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the second member forms an obtuse angle with respect to the back surface of the main thick plate portion when the second member is bonded to the main thick plate portion. .   2. The siding plate according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the second member is perpendicular to the back surface of the main thick plate portion when the second member is bonded to the main thick plate portion. The siding plate of claim 1, wherein the second member further includes a surface extending rearward from the back surface of the second member adapted to abut the top of an adjacent siding plate.   The siding panel according to claim 5, wherein the front surface forms an acute angle with respect to the back surface of the second member.   The siding board according to claim 5, wherein the front surface is perpendicular to the back surface of the second member. Wherein the lower surface of the second member, wherein are located in the same plane as the bottom surface of the main plank section, paneling according to claim 1. The siding board according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the main thick plate portion is bonded to the flange. The siding board according to claim 1, wherein the main thick plate portion and the second member are bonded using a cementitious adhesive.   The siding board according to claim 1, wherein the second member and the main plank portion are bonded using a reactive high-temperature melting polyethylene adhesive.   The siding board according to claim 1, wherein the second member is a fiber cement butt member.   The siding board according to claim 1, wherein the second member is a plastic spline.   The siding plate according to claim 1, wherein the second member and the main plank portion are made of two different and different materials.   The siding panel of claim 1, wherein the second member has a capillary break.   The siding board according to claim 1, wherein the main plank portion includes a fixing indicator that allows the fixing device to be appropriately disposed within a predetermined fixing region. The siding board according to claim 16 , wherein the fixed indicator is a recess located near the upper end of the surface of the main plank along the length of the main plank. The siding plate according to claim 16 , wherein the main plank part has a hollow part below the fixed indicator for facilitating attachment of a fixing device to the main plank part. A fiber cement panel that forms a deep shadow line,
A main plank portion having a fiber cement having a length, a width, and a thickness, having a front surface and a back surface, a top surface and a bottom surface, and an upper end portion and a lower end portion;
A second member having a length, a width, a thickness, a front surface, a back surface, an upper surface, and a lower surface, which is bonded to the main thick plate portion;
At least a part of the surface of the second member is bonded adjacent to the lower end portion of the main thick plate portion along the back surface of the main thick plate portion, and the surface of the second member is A first flange bonded at a first position along the back surface of the main plank portion; and a second flange bonded at a second position along the back surface of the main plank portion; Including , fiber cement paneling. A siding board that forms a deep shadow line,
A main plank portion having a fiber cement having a length, a width, and a thickness, having a front surface and a back surface, a top surface and a bottom surface, and an upper end portion and a lower end portion;
A spline having a length, a width, a thickness, a front surface, a back surface, an upper surface, and a lower surface, which is bonded to the main thick plate portion , wherein the lower surface includes a flange extending forward from the surface of the spline. Have
At least a portion of the front surface of the spline is a siding plate that is bonded adjacent to the lower end portion of the main thick plate portion along the back surface of the main thick plate portion. Siding,
A main plank having a fiber cement having a front surface and a back surface;
A siding plate having a flat engagement surface that is bonded to the back surface of the main plank portion in at least two positions and allows the siding plate to be lowered and stacked on an adjacent siding plate. The siding plate according to claim 21 , wherein the meshing member has a lock region adapted to coincide with a key tip of an adjacent plank. The siding plate according to claim 21 , wherein the meshing member is a butt member. 24. A siding plate according to claim 23 , wherein the butting member has a locking region adapted to coincide with a key tip of an adjacent plank. 24. The siding panel of claim 23 , wherein the butt member is made of fiber cement. The siding plate according to claim 21 , wherein the meshing member is a spline. 27. The siding panel of claim 26 , wherein the splines are made of plastic. The siding plank of claim 21 , wherein the fiber cement has a density of about 1.2 g / cm ³ or less. 23. The siding plate of claim 22 , wherein the locking region includes a pair of surfaces that form an acute angle with respect to each other. 30. The siding plate of claim 29 , wherein the angle is between about 30 degrees and 85 degrees. 30. The siding plate of claim 29 , wherein the key tips of the adjacent planks have a pair of surfaces that form an angle substantially equal to the angle of the lock region. The siding plate of claim 21 , wherein the engagement member has a V-shaped lock. 33. The siding plate of claim 32 , wherein the V-shaped lock has a lock inner ramp, a lock inner surface, and a lock inner pillow surface. The V-shaped lock has at least one compressible region that allows the plank to easily engage adjacent planks during installation and laterally compensates for a non-planar mounting surface. A siding panel according to 32 . 35. The siding plate of claim 34 , wherein the compressible region is made of a rubber material. 35. The siding plank of claim 34 , wherein a first compressible region is located on the lock inner ramp and a second compressible region is located on the lock inner surface. The siding board according to claim 21 , wherein the meshing member is bonded to the siding board with an adhesive. The siding plate of claim 21 , wherein the mating member has a square lock. The square lock is adapted to fit over the upper edge such that a small gap to accommodate variable gauge height is maintained between the lock and the upper edge of the adjacent plank. The siding panel according to claim 38 . The siding plate of claim 21 , wherein the engagement member further comprises an overlay guide. The siding panel of claim 21 , wherein the engagement member has at least one groove. A method of manufacturing a siding board,
Providing a board having a front side, a back side, a top end, and a bottom end;
Providing a second member having a front side and a back side, a top end and a bottom end;
Aligning the bottom end of the board with the bottom end of the second member such that the front surface of the second member faces the back surface of the board;
Wherein said surface of the second member contact engagement with the rear surface of the board comprises forming a two-piece plank, a method of manufacturing a lining panel. To junction said board to said second member includes coupling the planks to the second member by using a cementitious adhesive, method of claim 42. It involves junction of the planks to the second member by using a hot melt polyethylene adhesive method according to claim 42 for junction with the board to the second member. 43. The method of claim 42 , wherein the board and the second member are pressed together using a roller. 43. The method of claim 42 , wherein both the board and the second member are made of fiber cement. After the said board second member is engaged against further comprises autoclaving both the said board second member, The method of claim 42. 43. The method of claim 42 , further comprising precuring the board and the second member for a predetermined period. 48. The method of claim 47 , comprising autoclaving the board and the second member at a temperature between about 350 ° F. and 400 ° F. at about 120 psi to 145 psi for a period of about 8 hours. 48. The method of claim 47 , further comprising severing the slab assembly to remove the adhesive overflow from the autoclaved slab assembly. 43. The method of claim 42 , wherein the second member is a fiber cement butt member. 43. The method of claim 42 , wherein the second member is a plastic spline. 43. The method of claim 42 , wherein the second member includes a lock region. 54. The method of claim 53 , further comprising attaching a compressible region to a surface of the lock region. Further comprising the method of claim 42 to junction a portion of the second member along the bottom end of the board. 43. The method of claim 42 , wherein the second member includes a groove that improves adhesion between the board and the second member. 43. The method of claim 42 , wherein the board is a fiber cement board formed by a Hatschek method. Further comprising the method of claim 42 to preprocess the second member so as to improve the adhesive junction capacity of said second member. 59. The method of claim 58 , wherein pretreating the second member includes polishing the second member. 59. The method of claim 58 , wherein pretreating the second member includes cleaning the second member. 59. The method of claim 58 , wherein pretreating the second member includes exposing the second member to a flame. 43. The method of claim 42 , further comprising forming a lock region in the siding by machining. 64. The method of claim 62 , further comprising forming a lock region in the siding by machining.

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